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A monoplane flying machine ready for flight. (See page 438) 



Hi 


mdy Man's Workshop 
and Laboratory 




COMPILED AND EDITED 




BY 

A. RUSSELL BOND 




370 ILLUSTRATIONS 




o a 3 

NLW YORK 




MUNN & CO., Inc. 




1910 






A- 



Copyright 1909, by Munn & Co., Inc. 



All Rights Reserved. 



The right of translation in all languages is reserved including 
the Scandinavian. 



Entered at Stationer's Hall, 
London, England, 1909« 



CI.A25142o 



MACGOWAN & SUPPER, Printers 

30 Beekman St. 

New York. U. S. A. 



PREFACE 

EVERY practical mechanic, whether amateur or 
professional, has been confronted at one time or 
another with unexpected situations calling for the 
exercise of considerable ingenuity. The resourceful 
man who has met an issue of this sort successfully 
seldom if ever is averse to making public his method 
of procedure. After all, he has little to gain by keep- 
ing the matter to himself and, appreciating the advice 
of other practical men in the same line of work, he is 
only too glad to contribute his own suggestions to the 
general fund of information. 

About a year ago, it was decided to open a depart- 
ment in the Scientific American devoted to the interests 
of the handy man. There was an almost immediate 
response. Hundreds of valuable suggestions poured in 
from every part of this country and from abroad as well. 
Not only amateur mechanics, but professional men 
also were eager to recount their experiences in emer- 
gencies and offer useful bits of information, ingenious 
ideas, wrinkles or " kinks" as they are called. Aside 
from these, many valuable contributions came from 
men in other walks of life — resourceful men, who 
showed their aptness at doing things about the house, 
in the garden, on the farm. The electrician and the 
man in the physics and chemical laboratory furnished 
another tributary to the flood of ideas. Automobiles, 



IV PREFACE 

motor cycles, motor boats and the like frequently call 
for a display of ingenuity among a class of men who 
otherwise would never touch a tool. These also con- 
tributed a large share of the suggestions that poured in 
upon us. It was apparent from the outset that the 
Handy Man's Workshop Department in the Scientific 
American would be utterly inadequate for so large a 
volume of material; but rather than reject any really 
useful ideas for lack of space, we have collected the 
worthier suggestions as far as we could judge of their 
merit, and present them in the following pages. 

A. RUSSELL BOND 
New York, October, 1909 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Fitting up a Workshop 1-63 

Building the Shop. The Workbench. A Solid Joint for the 
Workbench. A joint that Can be Tightened. Bench Hook. A 
Combination Planing and Shooting Board. A Corner Cabinet. 
A Shoulder Chest. Desk or Drawing Table. The Grindstone. 
Artificial Grindstone. A Simple Foot-Power Grinder. The 
Lathe. The Scroll-Saw. A Combined Scroll-Saw, Tool Grinder, 
Router, and Drill Press. Scroll-Saw Guide. The Home-made 
Drill Press. Miter Box. Two Handy Clamps. A Carpenter's 
Clamp. A Quick Clamp. The Saw Clamp. An Improved Saw 
Clamp. Home-made Saw Filing Vise. The Saw Buck. Trestles, 
Horses, or Stools. A Roller Jack. A Steam Box. Handy 
Planing Dog. 

CHAPTER II. 
Shop Kinks 64-106 

The Clothespin on the Handy Man's Workbench. A Simple 
Method of Constructing a Handle. Convenient Holder for 
Sandpaper. How to File Round Work. Vise for Polished Pipe. 
Thread Cutting Without a Die. How to Wind a Spaced Coil 
Spring. Another Method of Making a Coil Spring. Home- 
made Spring Winder. Substitute for Rod Threader. How to 
Make a Screw and Nut Without the Aid of a Screw-Cutting 
Lathe. Substitutes for a Pipe Wrench. An Improvised Pipe 
Vise. An Emergency Pipe Valve. A Boiler Maker's Tool Bag. 
A Strong Home-made Turnbuckle. A Universal Joint of 
Simple Design. A Self-Locking Dovetail Joint. To Replace a 
Broken Screw in Soft Metal. The Driving of a Nail. To 
Prevent the Nail from Splitting the Wood. Remedy for Loose 
Wood Screws. Weatherboard Gage. A Ladder Extension Leg. 
A Painter's Platform Bracket. Paper Hanger's Adjustable 
Templet. A Good Substitute for Leather Belting. Gage for 



VI CONTENTS 



Augers. Holder for Broken Shank Drills. Simple Drill Clear- 
ance. Simple Driver for Small Drills. A Guide for Drilling 
Horizontal Holes. Drilling Holes in Marbles. A Handy Tap 
Wrench. An Emergency Reamer. How to Drill Through 
Brick and Soft Stone. The Handy Man's Gage. Grinder and 
Hold for Small Tools. Device for Punching Holes in Saw 
Blades, Clock Springs, etc. Device for Sawing Holes in Metal. 
Device for Finding Centers of Round Work. Handy Method 
of Finding the Center of a Shaft. How to Support a 
Shaft When Babbitting. Old Glue Pot as a Metal Pot and 
Ladle. A Home-made Micrometer. An Improved Dowel 
Plate. The Turning of a Ball. 



CHAPTER III. 

The Soldering of Metals and the Preparation of 
Solders and Soldering Agents 107-155 

Soldering Apparatus. A Heater for Soldering Irons. Flints on 
Soldering. Home-made Gas Soldering Iron Made of Pipe 
Fittings. Home-made Blowpipe. Formulas for Solders. Classi- 
fication of Solders. Soft Solders. Hard Solders. Silver 
Solders. Gold Solders. Aluminium Solders. How to Solder 
Aluminium. 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Handy Man in the Factory 156-177 

Milling Attachment for the Lathe. Cutting a Groove of 42-inch 
Pitch on a i>^-inch Shaft. Cutting a Cam Groove with a Lathe. 
Improved Lathe Chuck. Correct Shape for Lathe Dog. Accu- 
rately Setting the Slide Rest for Turning Parallel Work. A 
Portable Polishing Lathe. Holder for Grinders. Cutting Key- 
ways on a Die Sinker. Screw Slotting Attachment for Lathes. 
Micrometer Attachment for the Milling Machine. Crankpin 
Turning Device. Boring Cylinder Bushings for Locomotives. 
Fans on Machine Tools. A Muffler for Gas Engines. Auto- 
matic Lubricating Cup. A Hydraulic Test for the Boiler. 
Method of Patching a Boiler. Straightening Buckled Castings. 
Repairing Railroad Picks. 



CONTENTS vil 



CHAPTER V. 

PAGE 

The Handy Man's Experimental Laboratory 178-229 

Chemical Flasks from Electric Light Globes. Stopcock of Glass 
Tubing. Starting Device for Siphons. How to Obtain Fresh 
Water from Sea Water. An Electrically Controlled Gas Regu- 
lator. A Home-made Barometer. Scale for Barometers. A 
Home-made Air Thermometer. How to Make an Electrical 
Anemometer. Gyroscope Made from a Bicycle. The Elastic 
Pendulum. Cutting Wood with Paper. Chemical Puzzles. 
Some Experiments with Carbon Disulphide. Blue Roses. 
Home-made Chemical Perfume. Artificial Zincite. Novel Heat 
Motor. An Ornamental Heat Motor. Rotagons. A Home- 
made Seismograph. 



CHAPTER VI. 

The Handy Man's Electrical Laboratory 230-313 

An Unbreakable Leyden Jar. A Substitute for Tinfoil in 
Leyden Jars. A Home-made Wimshurst Machine. How to 
Make an Oscillating Static Electric Motor. Electrostatic 
Illuminations : Interesting Experiments for the Induction Ma- 
chine. Stratification in Vacuo : Its Production with the Influ- 
ence Machine. A Simple Experiment in Static Electricity. How 
to Make a Simple Electric Engine. A Simple Medical Coil. 
An Easily Made Magneto Machine for Physiological Effects. 
Machine for Winding Coils. Storage Battery Without Chemi- 
cals. Handy Form of Voltaic Battery. How to Make a Simple 
Dry Battery. Restoring a Dry Battery. A Home-built Alter- 
nating-current Motor. Small Transformer for Bell Circuits. 
An Electrolytic Rectifier for Charging Ignition Batteries. 
Home-made Adjustable Socket for Tungsten Lamps. A Cheap 
Lamp Rheostat. Open-circuit Telegraph System. A Test for 
Telephones. Ways to Brace Poles for Private Telephone Lines. 
A Simple Wireless Telegraph Detector. An Electrolytic De- 
tector. The Construction of a Magnetic Detector. Experi- 
ments with Alternating Current, Using a Small Direct-current 
Motor. An Electrical Paradox. Construction of a Selenium 
Cell. 



Vlll CONTENTS 



CHAPTER VII. 

PAGB 

The Handy Man About the House 314-368 

A Novel Music Stand or Book Rest. A Tabouret Made from 
an Onion Crate. Home-made Metal Lamp Shade. Another 
Method of Making Metal Lamp Shades. Decorations from 
Paper Pulp. Hero's Fountain as a Table Ornament. Con- 
venient Hanger for the Clothes Closet. An Improved Carpet 
Stretcher. Rag Carpet Needle. A Cheaply Constructed Fire- 
less Cooker. An Electrical Fireless Cooker. A Home-made 
Heat-retaining Bottle. Iceless Refrigeration. Electric Coffee 
Pot. An Improvement for the Broiling Pan. Patch for Kitchen 
Boilers. How to Mend a Cast-iron Boiler. Mending Cast-iron 
Boilers, Radiators, and the Like. Gas Fire-lighting Apparatus. 
Replacing a Fire 1 Pot. Let the Clock Open the Furnace Drafts. 
Milk Testing* Without Apparatus. Simple Method of Pulling a 
Cork. Waterproof Matches. Unscrewing a Jar Top. An Im- 
provised Shoe Stretcher. How to Mend a Hammock. Mending 
a Cracked Bottle. A Tin Can^ Leader. Ejector Made Out of 
Pipe Fittings. Home-made Vacuum Cleaner. Anti-freezing 
Outside Faucet. The Hose Reel on a Hydrant. A Home-made 
Lawn Sprinkler. How to Mend Garden Hose. How to Repair 
a Leak in the Garden Hose. To Make Paper Flower Pots. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

The Handy Sportsman - 369-433 

A Portable Automobile House. How to Convert a Horse- 
drawn Buggy into a Motor Buggy for Less than $300. Getting 
Home with a Weak Battery. The Handy Man's Spark Plug. 
Scraping Carbon from the Piston Heads. Cleaning the Spark 
Plug. Straightening an Automobile Axle. Taking Up the 
Engine Bearings. Temporary Repairs to Broken Springs. Put- 
ting on a New Clutch Leather. Relining the Brake Shoes. 
The Motorist's Accident Preventer. When a Lost Nut Cannot 
be Replaced. How to Construct and Operate a One-man Air- 
ship. How to Build a Chanute-type Glider. An Inexpensive 
Ice Yacht. How to Build a Scooter. A Simple Method of 



CONTENTS IX 



PAGE 



Taking Spilings. Forging a Mast-head or Boom Ring. To 
Install a Motor in a Small Boat. Simple Support for Bicycle. 
Handy Method for Repairing a Punctured Tire. Bicycle 
Coasting Sled. Coasting Skates. Two Ways of Improving a 
Sled. Reducing the Range of a Rifle. Another Method of 
Reducing the Range of a Springfield Rifle. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Model Toy Flying Machines 434-455 

A Simple Monoplane. Divided Monoplane. "Wright'' Biplane. 
The Aeroplane Kite. A Novel Monoplane Model. "Diabolo" 
Flying Machine. 

Index 456-465 

Authors' Index 466-467 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND 
LABORATORY 

CHAPTER I. 
FITTING UP A WORKSHOP 

BUILDING THE SHOP 

The interest taken by a man or boy in a shop that he himself 
has built will amply repay the small outlay of the first cost. 

Fig. i shows the inside view of a workshop good enough for 
any amateur, no matter what his station in life may be. The 
framework was put up by a first-class mechanic, but the furnish- 
ings are all home-made, such as even a boy will be able to con- 
struct. Such a shop as this is hardly necessary for the average 
young mechanic, the object of the sketch being more to show 
how a shop can be fitted up inside. The lathe, and also a jig 
saw, not shown, will be described later, as will also the bench, 
drawing table, and other accessories. 

A shop about 9 feet by 12, inside dimensions, will be ample 
enough, and if it is made as an addition to the house, but three 
extra sides will be necessary, or if built in a corner, as is some- 
times convenient, then but two extra sides will be needed. 

The ground must be leveled, and prepared for the six piers, 
which can be of concrete, brickwork, or timber. If of timber, let 
them be 6 to 9 inches square by 2 feet long, buried in the ground 
about 18 inches. Holes should be dug of suitable depth and the 
stumps dropped in, care being taken to get them the proper dis- 
tance apart, 9 feet by 12, out to out, so that the sides of the 
building, when erected, will be flush, and not have to be cut around 
the piers, or offset in an unworkmanlike manner. The first pier 
can be permanently set by ramming broken bricks and earth into 



2 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

the hole with a piece of heavy timber brought down on end. The 
remaining piers are leveled up from this one, by means of a 
builder's level. 

Since it is a very important matter that these piers should be 




Fig. i — A model workshop for the amateur 

true and level with each other, it will be well to make a suitable 
straight-edge, or leveling board, for this purpose. This can be 
12 or 1 6 feet in length, cut from a i-inch board, and shaped as 
shown in Fig. 2. A hand-hole is formed in the center, at the 



Fig. 2— A builder's level 

top, and a small shelf, upon which is placed the spirit level, is 
nailed to one side, immediately below. The leveling edge must 
be planed very true, while the small shelf on the side must be 
made exactly parallel with it. Place the level upon the shelf, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 3 

and, holding the leveling board on the tops of each pair of piers 
successively, commencing with the permanent one, level them all 
by raising or lowering them in their respective holes, when they 
should be permanently set, as was the first. 

The wall plates or bottom framing are made from 4x6 timber, 
half jointed at each corner, and secured to each pier with ten- 
penny nails driven in from either side. The four corner piers 
being 9x12 feet out to out, one pair of the 4x6 timbers will be 
12 feet in length, and the other 9 feet. The framework must form 
a perfect right angle at each pier, which can be tested by means 
of the carpenter's square or laid out in the following manner : 




TT 




Fig. 3 — Laying out a square 
corner 



Fig. 4— Temporary bracing for 
corner posts 



Along the inside edge of the framework lay off a line 3 feet in 
length on one timber and 4 feet on the other, when the two tim- 
bers must be closed, or opened, until the distance between these 
two points measures exactly 5 feet, as shown in Fig. 3. 

The posts, or studding as they are sometimes called, are made 
from 3 x 4-inch timbers. Two are cut 10 feet 6 inches in length, 
and three are made 7 feet 6 inches long. The ends are cut true 
and square,, to get a good bearing, when the posts are set up. The 
rear posts can be secured to the side of the house, after being 
trued with a plumb bob, or level, and can be secured to the bottom 
plate or framing by toe-nailing; but the two front corner posts, 
after being erected plumb, and secured to the framing, must be 
held temporarily, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. The top 



4 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

plates and rails are next put up. Make a half joint at the front, 
and nail the other ends to the rear posts with nails driven through 
either side. The other door-post is erected, then the intermediate 
rails and the door lintel. Rails and door lintel are 2x3 inches. 

The rafters are made of 2 x 4-inch timber, notched where they 
rest upon the plates, which are 2 inches by 3. One rafter can be 
cut to the proper length and notched, using it for a templet, or as 




Fig. 5 — Setting up the frame of the shop 



a guide for cutting the others. The two end rafters should be 
secured to the plates first, by driving in tenpenny nails through 
the sides, as in the case of the floor joists, then the others may 
be evenly spaced from end to end, about 2 feet apart. 

The framework of the building is now complete, as shown in 
Fig. 5. A detail of construction is shown at the right. Rough 
boards, with a space between them of about one inch, are laid 
across the joists for the roof, and secured with eightpermy nails. 
The sides can either be made of tongue-and-groove boards, or 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 5 

ordinary boards like the roof, only built close, with narrow strips 
of wood nailed over the joints as in Fig. 6. 

Space must be left in the sides for the windows and doorway ; 
the latter should measure 2 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 6 inches. The 



^T 



Fig. 6 — Cracl s in the siding covered by narrow strips 

windows had better be double sliding, on three sides of the build- 
ing, to get a good light. If 10x8 glass is used, the framework 
or sash will be about 2 feet 4^. inches by 1 foot nfyi inches high. 
The window openings in the sides of the building, therefore, 
should be 1 foot 11 inches high by 4 feet 8 inches long for a 



mmmmrrrm 



J^jlLLLLuiijrqjiL 



Fig. 7-A window opening, showing grooves for sash 

double sash. They should be centrally located in the sides and 
front, the boards being cut flush with the top of the middle rails, 
to which they are nailed. The boards at the top of the opening 
are nailed to an inside strip, 2y' 2 by 1% inches, detailed in Fig. 7, 
which sketch also shows the grooves in which the sash moves. 
A tongue-and-groove connection should be made where the two 
sashes meet, or a strip of wood should be nailed on either, to 
overlap the other, and keep out the wind and rain. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The flooring, . which can be made of ordinary boards or a 
cheaper grade of tongue-and-groove boards, planed on one side 
only, are cut to fit close up to the sides, and around the studding 
or posts, and nailed to the joists with eightpenny nails. The 
joists are 2x4, notched 1 inch, as shown. 

It will be noticed that the first board of the sides, nearest the 
house, is notched all the way down, to fit up snugly against the 
weather boards. This is done by means of a pencil and a small 
stick, held as in Fig. 8. The stick is traced along the outline of 
the weather boarding, while the pencil, being held against the 
upright board of the shop, makes an exact copy of the outline, as 
a guide for the saw. Narrow boards, sometimes called plates, 




^ 



^ 



Fig. 8 — Tracing a profile 
of the weather boards 



Fig. 9— Sills for the door and windows 



3 



are nailed all around the top of the sides, under the eaves of the 
roof, notching them out where the joists of the roof come through. 
The door can be made of the same stuff as the sides, strength- 
ened with battens as shown in Fig. 1. A diagonal batten can be 
put on also, letting it bear top and bottom against the horizontal 
battens, and taking care to let it slope in the right direction, the 
lower end being near the hinges. Hinges and a latch, also a 
draw-bolt, are all the furnishings necessary for the inside, and 
a padlock for the outside. A plain narrow frame can be put 
around the outside of the windows, and a sill made (Fig. 9) 
from 1 -inch stuff, for the door and windows, will improve the 
appearance. A door-step can be made from the same stuff as 
the sides, or from i-inch boards, nailed to the front of the shop, 
before the tread is put on. The ground should be made level, and 
a large stone, or bricks, put under the bearing edge. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 7 

The roof is covered' with tar paper, which can be made of sheets 
of brown paper covered with pitch and sanded, or it can be pur- 
chased already prepared. Commence at the eaves, allowing 
enough to tuck under the eaves on both sides and in front. The 
next layers are allowed to lap over by about 2 inches, and the 
last one is tucked under the weather boarding, on the side of 




Fig. 10— Exterior view of the finished building 



the house. Large-headed galvanized nails are used to hold the 
tar paper or felt covering to the roof ; or barbed wire-nails with 
tin caps will do. Space them not less than 2 or 3 inches apart, 
all along the edges of the laps, and under the eaves of the roof. 
(See Fig. 10.) 

The shop should be given two coats of paint on the outside to 
match the house or surrounding buildings. A small stove, either 



8 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

oil, gas, or coal, will nicely heat the shop in cold weather, a chim- 
ney connection being made in the roof or one of the sides if a 
coal stove is used. — 3* 

THE WORKBENCH 

The workbench shown in Fig. 1 is attached to the wall, thus 
saving time and labor in making it ; but a stationary workbench 
is not always desirable, especially if there is no permanent shop 
for it. The standard size of a joiner's bench is 12 feet in length 
and 2 feet 9 inches in height and width. This size is altogether 
unnecessary for home purposes. From 8 to 9 feet in length, and 




Fig. 11— The skeleton framework of the bench 

about 32 inches high is a convenient size. Mechanics sometimes 
test the height by sitting on the front edge of the bench sideways, 
with one foot dangling over the side, which should just touch 
the floor. 

If the planking and supports are made of yellow pine, a sound 
solid bench will be the result. In any case, the top front plank 
should be of this material, the rest can be of white pine or hem- 
lock. The vise should be of oak, the screw being purchased at 
any hardware store for about fifty cents. 

Referring to Fig. 11, three of the supports are made of 3 by 



* Figures refer to authors' names. See Index of Authors at end of book. 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 9 

4-inch timber, 30 inches high. The one at the vise is 3 inches 
by 6, of the same length. Care should be taken that the bearing 
surfaces are true, and the posts are set up level. The slotted hole, 
or mortise, at the bottom of the vise post, should be cut before the 
post is set up, but the round hole for the screw can be made when 
the bench is complete. The mortise is made by boring two %-inch 
holes 2 inches apart, vertically, and cutting out the wood between 
with a flat chisel. The ends, top, and bottom can be left round, 
or may be squared up with the chisel, as illustrated. 

Cut three short lengths of 1 by 10-inch boards, 23 inches long, 
and nail two of them across the tops of the posts or supports as 
shown. Set them up on end, and nail the front board, or apron, 
which is 9 feet in length, to the forward posts, spacing the latter 
1 foot from each end. The top edges of the front board and 
the three cross pieces are brought up exactly level with each other, 
but the back board, which is 12 inches deep, is nailed to the posts, 
with the top edge 2 inches above. The top of the bench consists 
of two planks, 12 inches wide by 9 feet in length. The front 
plank is 2 inches in thickness, and should bear evenly along the 
top edge of the front board, or apron, which supports it. The 
board at the back is only 1 inch thick, and like the rest of the 
bench, can be made of cheaper and lighter timber. With the 
exception of the tool rack, the bench can be put together with 
eightpenny or 2^/2 -inch wire nails. The 2-inch thick plank should 
be nailed down with ten-penny flooring nails, or nails having 
finished heads, which must be driven in below the surface with 
a nail set or punch. 

The tool rack can be made from y 2 -inch stuff, about 2 inches 
wide, running the full length of the bench, or cut off within a 
foot or so of each end. Partitions can be made of the same 
wood, spaced from 1 to 3 inches apart, to suit various sized tools. 
A strip of wood nailed across the top edge of the back, and fur- 
nished with a number of different-sized, bored holes, will answer 
the purpose just as well. 

While there are many different kinds of vises on the market, 
it is safe to say the old style, as shown in Fig. 12, is very gen- 



10 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



erally used, and it has the advantage of being easily rigged up 
and inexpensive. Procure a piece of oak, iy 2 inches thick, y l / 2 
inches wide, and about 30 inches in length, for the movable jaw 




Fig. 12 — The bench complete with vise and tool rack 

of the vise. A hole for the screw is bored in the middle, 9 inches 
from the top, and a mortise for the guide is made in the lower 
end, after being marked off from the one in the 3 by 6-inch post 
of the bench. Corresponding holes for the vise screw are to be 



OOOO 
OOO 



a 



Fig. 13 — Details of the heel of the vise 

bored through the apron and the post, a trifle larger than the 
screw. The guide is made from hard wood, 18 inches in length, 
cut to fit easily the hole in the bench post, but having a driving 
fit in the vise jaw, to which it is secured by toe-nailing. Some- 
times the jaw of the vise is tapered at the lower end, as shown 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 1 

in the detail view, Fig. 13, when the guide can be secured by 
driving nails through the ( sides. The guide is furnished with 
holes evenly spaced, as shown, and a peg is provided, similar to 
the one shown in Fig. 11, for the~ apron or front board of the 
bench. 

The apron is provided with holes and a peg, to rest the free 
end of a long plank upon, when being worked in the vise. A 
suitable bench stop is put in the planing board of the workbench. 
Various designs are on the market, which can be easily attached, 
but a very good one can be made by using a 2 by 2-inch piece of 
oak, a foot in length. A hole is cut about 9 inches from the end 
of the bench, and the stop must have a driving fit, being raised 
or lowered by hitting it with a hammer. This is much better 
than the metal stops, since there is no possible chance of injuring 
the tools. The nut of the vise screw is secured to the inside 
face of the 3-inch by 6-inch post, to prevent its revolving when 
adjusting the vise. 

When the vise is set up, the top can be planed true and level 
with the working face of the bench, slightly rounding off the 
corners. The 2-inch plank should be planed up true, and no work 
done upon it which will break up the surface. Any rough work 
should be done on a board placed on top of the bench. 

The workbench is now complete. It is a convenient size, and 
can be easily taken out through an ordinary door, and when it 
comes to moving, there will be no necessity of leaving it behind, 
or knocking it to pieces to get it out of the shop. — 3 

A SOLID JOINT FOR THE WORKBENCH 

When constructing the bench for the Handy Man's Workshop, 
and it is desired to use the old but efficient screw-and-heel pattern 
woodworker's vise, the question of a suitable joint for the upper 
end of the front leg must be considered. The pressure applied 
to narrow work, reaching not farther below the bench top than 
its own thickness, tends to draw the front leg from position, and 
one soon finds he has a loose and "rickety" joint. 

None of the usual mortise or dovetail joints are satisfactory, 



12 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



but the one shown below is very powerful and cannot be drawn 
from place. The detail drawing, Fig. 14, shows its construction 
and proper proportions. rVfter the glue has set, two ^-inch 
wooden pins should be driven into the holes. — 72 

A JOINT THAT CAN BE TIGHTENED 

The joints of a workbench are quite sure to work loose in 
time, and it is important that they be constructed in such a way 




Fig. 14— Solid joint for handy man's workbench 

that they may be tightened from time to time. The construction 
shown in Fig. 15 is one that the writer has used with perfect 
satisfaction for years. The frame of the bench is made of 2 by 
3-inch sticks. Sockets are cut in two adjoining faces of the post 
to receive the tongues formed on the horizontal sticks of the 
frame. The sockets are made deeper than the tongues, so as to 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



13 



permit of adjustment. A hole is bored through the post and 

endwise into one of the horizontal 

sticks through the tongue. A bolt is 

fitted into this bore and is screwed 

into a nut which is introduced into the 

stick through a transverse hole. In 

the same way the other stick is secured 

to the post, care being taken to have 

the second bolt hole at a different level 

so that it will clear the first one. The 

bolts can be drawn up very tightly, so 

as to make a firm joint. When the 

joint works loose it can be tightened up with a wrench in a 

moment's time. — 51 

BENCH HOOK 

A bench hook can be made from a piece of beech wood 3 by 
2 by 9 inches in length. Cut out the hook as shown in dotted 




Fig. 15— A joint that can 
be tightened 



v 



Q 



Fig. 16— The bench hook 



fines, in Fig. 16, and round the ends. The saw cut should be 
vertical and at right angles to the cross piece. When one side 
of the hook is worn, it can be turned over, and the other side 
be used. — 3 

A COMBINATION PLANING AND SHOOTING BOARD 

It is sometimes necessary to put a long straight or bevel edge 
upon a board ; and while this can be done by the aid of the try 
square or bevel square, the board being held in the vise, the 



14 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



accuracy of the work depends largely upon the skill of the 
mechanic, and requires much practice. For the amateur, and 
even the professional, a board such as illustrated in Fig. ly is 
desirable. 

All that is necessary for planing square edges only is a board 
about 9 inches wide, secured to one underneath, 15 inches in 
width, each ]4 of an inch thick, and as long as the bench. The 




Fig. 17— Combination planing and shooting board 

boards must be planed perfectly true, the working edge in par- 
ticular, and a stop of some kind should be furnished at one end. 

Sometimes it is necessary to plane a long miter edge on a 
board, in which case an ordinary shooting board, such as 
described, will not do. 

One arrangement of shooting board for long miter joints is 
shown in the cross-sectional view A, in which a is a length of 
3 by 4-inch timber, to which is secured a board b, at an angle of 
45 degrees, by means of triangular blocks c, spaced about 2 feet 
apart, commencing near the ends. One end of the shooting board 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 5 

\ 

is held in the vise d, the other end resting upon pegs in the apron 
of the bench. The board e, whose edge is to be planed, is clamped 
to the board b, and the plane / shot along the 3 by 4-inch piece a. 

At B is shown another scheme, where two 9-inch boards, g 
and h, are secured together by means of screws, driven in from 
the underside of the lower board h, which in turn is hinged to a 
board i, in the same plane, 6 inches wide. By means of blocks, 

or k, secured to the board i, bevel or miter edges of 45, 60, and 
30 degrees can be planed along the edge of any board e, as 
detailed at C. A wedge stop /, of hard wood, is furnished at the 
far end of the plank g, several being made of various thicknesses, 
to suit the work in hand. 

Before using the board, the workbench should be swept down, 
and it is very necessary to have it level. 

Ordinary hinges for holding together the boards h and i, are 
perhaps best, being steadier ; but for convenience when the board 
is out of use, if the double swing hinges m are used, the 6-inch 
board i can be folded under the others, as shown at D, the blocks 
of course having first been removed. 

Care must be taken to place the hinges a trifle below the sur- 
face, or the edge of the plane will wear over them, as it is shot 
from one end of the board to the other. — 3 
A CORNER CABINET 

The large heavy tool chests which were at one time so much 
in use are very awkward to get at, injurious to the tools, and in 
other ways inconvenient and out of date. A cabinet secured to 
the wall, within easy reach, is more convenient, and each tool can 
e seen at a glance, having its appointed place, hung either ver- 
ically or horizontally on a peg or shelf or in a drawer within 
he cabinet. A tool cabinet is cheaper, and is made more easily 
han a chest. By referring to any tool catalogue, it will be seen 
hat it is simply a flat oblong box with a recessed lid. The latter 
an be made from a box procured at a hardware store or box 
actory at little expense. But to have something different is gen- 
rally the desire of most "handy men." 



i6 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 





Fig. 1 8— The corner cabinet open and closed 

The corner cabinet, or cupboard, shown in Fig. 18, and detailed 
in Fig. 19, is not only original, but more easily made than any 
of the foregoing tool chests or cabinets. 

The top and bottom consist of two boards, 13 inches square by 
1 inch thick. The projecting corner is rounded ofr to a radius of 
V/2 inches, and the adjacent sides have their edges slightly 
rounded, as shown at A in Fig. 19. Four sides, B, are cut from 






i£ 



ii 



_E. 



^M 



Fig. 19— Constructional details of the cabinet 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



*7 



I -inch boards, 2 feet 9 inches in length and 12 inches wide. The 
edges are chamfered at an angle of 45 degrees, and the corners 
rounded oft* to a radius of y 2 inch, as detailed at B x . Two of the 
sides, B, are secured together with nails and glue, and the top 
and bottom nailed in position, flush with the outside edges, which 
are square, allowing the cabinet to fit close against the corner 
of the shop. The other two edges, which are rounded off to give 
a neat finish, project 1 inch, as clearly seen in Fig. 18. 

Either a padlock, with strap, can be used to lock^the cabinet, 
or a flush lock, as shown at C in Fig. 19. Two blocks of wood, 



EM^ 




© 




Fig. 20 — How the hinges 
are applied 



Fig. 21 — Rack for 
chisels 



for the doors to bear against when closed, are secured to the 
bottom and underside of the top, 2 inches from the edges. These 
are shown in Fig. 18, and at C and D x in Fig. 19. If desired, the 
top and bottom can be made 12 inches square, and finished off 
with a cornice, as shown at D and D x . 

The cabinet can be supported on a bracket, made from a piece 
of 3 x 4-inch timber, as detailed at E. Spikes driven into the wall, 
through the sides of the cabinet, will further secure it. 

Two hinges should be used on each door, either made flush, as 
shown in the general view, Fig. 18, or on the outside, as shown 
in the detail view, Fig. 20. 

The furnishing of the cabinet is a matter of choice and depends 
to a certain extent on how many tools are placed in it. The saws 



— 



i8 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



and lighter tools should be hnng upon the doors, the heavier tools 
inside. Shelves and racks of wood or leather, for the bits and 
handle tools, can be easily made. A rack constructed as shown, 
hung upon the door, will be found very useful for small tools. 
Chisels, etc., can be supported on vertical strips of board, notched 
as shown in Fig. 21. Either a plain oil finish or the natural wood 
is all the cabinet requires to complete it. — 3 





Fig. 22 — The shoulder chest 



A SHOULDER CHEST 

When called to do outside jobs, it is very necessary to have 
some suitable box or chest in which to carry a few tools, either 
in the hand, on the shoulder, or on the back if a bicycle is used. 
The writer is acquainted with a mechanic who took more interest 
in making his shoulder chest than any other furnishings of his 
shop, claiming that it would be an advertisement of what he 
could do if called upon. 

The chest is illustrated in Fig. 22, and detailed in Fig. 23. A 
trunk strap was put through the handles and thrown over the 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



19 



shoulders, when he mounted a wheel to go to his job, or the strap 
shortened to make a comfortable handle, if within walking dis- 
tance of his employment. 

The chest should be made from half-inch stuff; chestnut being 
a good wood, because the grain shows off to an advantage when 
the finished article is given an oil polish. 

Select a prettily-grained piece of board, sufficiently large to cut 
the whole box. The sides are to be marked out in such a way 




Fig. 23— Construction of the chest 

that when the chest is put together, the markings of the grain will 
match all round, as seen in Fig. 22. 

The detail view, Fig. 23, gives a general idea of the construc- 
tion, and needs but little explanation. The board from which 
the sides and ends are cut is 8 inches wide by 7 feet in length, 
accurately divided into four parts, 9 inches and 2 feet 9 inches 
long, and the edges, chamfered 45 deg., when they should be 
nailed together with long fine nails, and glued. The beaded fin- 
ishing strips, top and bottom, are cut in the same manner. The 



20 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

top strip is I inch deep, and the bottom 1^2 inches. The strips 
of wood from which they are cut are 7 feet 4 inches long. Allow- 
ance must be made for the saw cuts, both in the sides and the 
strips. The bottom is made from a plain board, 9 inches wide by 
2 feet 9 inches long. The top is ^ inch thick, io}i inches wide, 
and 2 feet 10^ inches long with a panel y% inch deep, gouged at 
the corners and chamfered down to }i inch all round, iy 2 inch 
from the edge, as shown in the illustrations. When the mitered 
edges of the. sides and the finishing strips are glued, they can be 
held until perfectly dry, by an arrangement of blocks and cords, 
as shown in Fig. 23. There should be a clearance space between 
the lid and the box, all around, of about 1/16 of an inch. The 
corners throughout should be nicely rounded, so that there will 
be no sharp edges to annoy one when carrying the chest. 

Hinges and a flush lock should be nicely let in the front and 
back, as shown in detail in two of the views. The hinges must 
be attached to the box first, and then to the lid, when open full. 
A neat brass chain will prevent the lid from accidentally opening 
too far. The handles should be fairly strong, and attached very 
securely to the ends of the chest. A neat tray, 3 inches wide by 
i l / 2 inches deep, of % or 3/16-inch stuff, is made to fit the 
chest. — 3 

DESK OR DRAWING TABLE 

A shop should be furnished with some kind of a writing shelf 
or desk, and since it is often necessary to make sketches or accu- 
rate drawings of details, a drawing board and desk combined will 
answer well. Very often an old drawing board can be obtained, 
which can easily be trimmed up, and made into a drop-leaf 
arrangement secured to the wall. A good size is 23 by 31 inches, 
which will accommodate a standard-size sheet of paper, but on 
account of the construction in this case, the width had better be 
2^/2 inches. 

Soft pine, free from knots and well seasoned, should be pro- 
cured, and accurately planed and glued together along the joints. 
Two battens running across the grain of the board should be 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



21 



secured to the underside, by means of round-headed screws, sunk 
in below the surface, and bearing upon iron washers. (See 
Fig. 24.) The holes should be bored larger than the screws, the 
hole in the washer being the same size. This will prevent the 




Fig. 24 — How the battens are f ecired to drawing board 

board warping, and it is very easily constructed. Make the board 
1 inch thick ; the battens and braces also ; the cupboard from 
24-inch stuff; and the shelves, pigeon-hole partitions, and small 
cupboard of ^-inch material. 




Fig. 25— Details of the drawing board 

Fig. 25 is drawn to scale, showing the front and side views. 
The cupboard (see Fig. 26) is 6 inches deep outside measure- 
ment, and 3 feet in length. The shelves are a^/i inches apart, 
making the total height 16 inches. The small cupboard is g l / 2 
inches square inside. It should be furnished with hinges and 



22 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



lock. A small block of wood, tacked in the corners, will prevent 
the door closing too far inside. The pigeonholes can be either 
plain or furnished with drawers, and the general design altered 
to suit individual tastes, but an arrangement of some kind in 
which to keep pens, ink, pencils, writing material, smaller and 
finer grades, of tools, notes, sketches, books, and clippings from 
the press or magazines. Nothing can be more useful than a place 
to keep all such things, for accumulate they will. 

The brackets upon which the cupboard rests, and to which the 




Fig. 26 — General view of the drawing board and cupboard 



battens are connected, and also the brackets at the foot of the 
braces, can be made from 2 by 3 stuff cut 7^2 inches in length, 
and secured firmly to the wall of the shop. Make the battens 
and braces 1 inch by 2^, of hard wood, secured to the brackets 
with large screws, the holes being a trifle large in the battens, 
and the screws not driven all the way home. The cross-brace is 
dovetailed into the supporting braces, as shown in Fig. 25. The 
length of the battens and braces is 2 feet 4 inches and 2 feet 1 
inch, out to out, beveled to an angle of 45 degrees at one end and 
rounded at the other. Care must be taken to secure the fixed 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 23 

ends not more than i % inches from the near edge, of the wall 
brackets, or the board will not close up properly when folded 
against the wall, as shown at the left in Fig. 25. 

Three holes for adjusting the board at several angles are 
bored 2^ inches apart, the first one being 4^ inches from the 
end. A round peg, shown in larger detail in Fig. 25, is made to 
fit the holes, and kept from getting lost when the board is down, 
by a short length of wire attached to a staple in the underside of 
the board. Make the bottom of the cupboard about 3 feet 6 
inches from the floor, which will give about an inch clearance for 
the braces when the board is down, out of use. 

The working edge of the drawing board should be trued up 
for the butt end or head of the T-square to work against. In 
selecting a T-square, sight along the working edge, to see that 
there are no imperfections, and select one where the blade is on 
top of the head, so that the triangles will slide over it. A T-square, 
two triangles, triangular scale, and a small set of instruments 
can be purchased at a very reasonable cost. 

Fig. 26 gives a fairly good idea of how the board and cupboard 
will look when complete. If much sketching or laying out is to 
be done, a high stool will be found convenient. — 3 

THE GRINDSTONE 

The grindstone is generally purchased with frame complete as 
shown. The frame is usually 24 inches high by 38 inches in 
length, out to out of handles, which are made of 2.y 2 by iS/% inch 
stuff, shaped at the ends to 1^ inch diameter by 4 inches long. 
The legs are 1^4 by lJ A inches, spread at the base 33 inches one 
way and 11^ inches at the ends, inside dimensions. The handles 
are spaced 9 inches apart outside dimensions. A piece of timber 
1^4 inches thick by 10 inches deep is bolted to the legs at each 
end. The treadle rod and guides are made of ^-inch round iron. 
The stone can be turned by hand or foot power, the handle being 
easily removed. The bearings are shown with the dust cap 
removed, to show the rollers. Under the stone is shown, in 
broken lines, a wooden water trough resting upon a i-inch board, 



24 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



which in turn rests upon two strips nailed to the legs. Some 
mechanics object to this manner of wetting the stone, claiming 
that it washes off all the powdered stone necessary for the^grind- 
ing process. Instead they put an ordinary tin can, with a small 
hole punched in the bottom, just above the stone, allowing the 
water to drop on the stone instead of washing it. — 3 
ARTIFICIAL GRINDSTONE 
A grindstone made from one-half best Portland cement and 
one-half silica sand may be used in grinding glass to take the 




Fig. 27 — Frame construction for grindstones 

place of the wheel caster. The materials must be thoroughly 
mixed and evenly tamped. The advantage of this stone is that 
when properly made there will be no hard and soft spots, and it 
will grind glass without scratching. The cost is about ten per 
cent of that of the common grindstone. 

A SIMPLE FOOT-POWER GRINDER 

The accompanying description and illustration of a grinding 

and polishing machine made by the writer in about an hour's 

time and at practically no expense, may be of interest. The 

cheapness and ease with which it can be made are due to the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



25 



utilization of certain parts of a bicycle (which is usually available 
or can be obtained for a small sum second hand) for the driving 
mechanism, and to the employment of a convenient workbench 
or strong table as a stand. The bicycle should have as high a 
gear as possible (it is not injured, and can be reassembled and 
used on the road again) and should have its front wheel, forks, 
handle bar, and back tire removed. In order to support the 
remaining parts, two boards about 1^x4 inches, reaching from 
the floor to the top of the bench, should be provided, and these 
should each be drilled 16 inches from the bottom with a hole of 







Fig. 28— Dimensions of the grinder head 



a size to fit tightly on the nuts on the ends of the rear axle. These 
boards should be nailed to the floor on each side of the rear 
wheel, and nailed to a board at the top, so as to clamp the bicycle 
frame tightly between them, with the axle in the holes previously 
mentioned. This board should be firmly fastened to the top of 
the bench, and should be long enough to bring the grinding wheel 
in a convenient position, while its width should be sufficient to 
cover the tops of the axle supports. An upright board should 
support the head of the frame, so that the pedals will clear the 
floor by about 2 inches. 



26 



HANDY MAX S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The grinder head, used with this foot-power device, consists of 
a block of wood (see Fig. 28) about 3x3 inches fastened firmly 
on to the top board by nails or screws, and of sufficient height to 
bring the grinding spindle to the desired position, a brass bushing 
which is of about ^-inch iron pipe size tightly fitted in a hole in 
the top of the block, a grinding spindle, and a grooved wood 



s 1 








t*~~ 


\£: ', 'M 




1^1 





Pig. 29— A simple foot-power grinder 



pulley. The spindle is the only piece requiring lathe work, and 
even this may be eliminated by using a straight rod (the bushing 
tube being of a size selected to fit it) and very carefully threading 
it with a j/2 -inch 12 die for the collar and clamping nut. It is, 
however, much more satisfactory to have a turned spindle, as it 
can then be made a better fit in the bushing, and the inner collar 
and part carrying the wheel can be turned true with this bearing 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 27 

surface. The part of the spindle that goes into the inner collar 
should be made a drive fit in the collar, and the latter should be 
turned while in place on the spindle. A nut and large washer 
should be provided for clamping' the grinding wheel on the 
spindle. The other end of the spindle is formed with a threaded 
taper for polishing and buffing wheels, although it would be 
cheaper to leave it blank. It could also be arranged to carry a 
second grinding wheel if desired. The pulley which goes on this 
spindle is cut (if possible turned) out o f a piece of hard wood, 
and is bored so as to make a tight fit on spindle. If it should 
show any tendency to slip, a set screw can be run through it and 
against the spindle. This completes the machine with the excep- 
tion of a 3/^-inch leather belt, a grinding wheel (}i x 6 inches is 
a good size) and, if desired, a tool rest which can be rigged up 
around the wheel.— 63 

THE LATHE 

A substantial lathe such as shown in Fig. 30 may be built as 
follows : 

The legs, A, are made from 2 x 4-inch timber, 3 feet 3 inches 
in length. They are spread 5 inches at the top, and 1 foot 6 
inches at the bottom ; the 4 x 6-inch pieces, B, being cut to fit 
between each pair. 

The lathe-bed, C, is 5 feet 6 inches long, made of 3-inch by 
7^4 -inch lumber. A 2-inch-wide slot is cut out of the center, 
running the length of the pieces, to within 2 inches of each end, 
as shown in the general view of the lathe, and in larger detail in 
Fig. 31. A more accurate job will be the result, if a slot is cut 
in a solid piece of timber, instead of using two lengths, joined 
together at each end, with distance pieces. 

The right-hand pair of legs shown in general view, Fig. 30, is 
6 inches from the end of lathe-bed, while the other pair is 9 
inches, on account of the head-stock which overhangs them. The 
half joints for these legs are marked 1 in Fig. 31, a section being 
given, bearing the same number. 

The joints, marked 2, are for the head-stock, D. There is need 
for only one of these, on the belt side of the lathe, but two are 



28 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



shown in case the lathe should be turned into a foot-power 
machine. A section is given marked 2, to correspond with the 
plan, in which it will be seen that the slope of the cuts is about 
y 2 or }i of an inch from the edges of the 2-inch groove, or slot, 
at the top, and the same distance from the outside edge at the 
bottom. 

Fig. 32 shows the details of the head-stock, D, and Fig. 33 the 




Fig. 3o— The lathe without the treadle mechanism 



tail-stock, E. The tongue of the latter must have a sliding fit, 
so that when the wedges are taken out, the stock can be adjusted 
to suit the various lengths of material to be turned. The tongue 
of the head-stock, D, can be a tight fit, and when once set up 
accurately, need not again be moved. 

The height of the head-stock is 10 inches, including the tongue, 
which is 6 inches. The running length is 6^4 inches, the width 
being the same as the bed of the lathe, namely, yy 2 inches. The 
V-shaped opening for the belt is 2^ inches wide, being a con- 






HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



2 9 



tinuation of the section marked 2, in Fig. 31. The mortises for 
the wedges are spaced iy 2 inches from the ends and should* be 
cut 21/4. inches from the bearing face of the head-stock, so that 
when the wedges are driven home the stock will be drawn up 
tight. The wedges are made from hard wood, rounded along the 
edges and ends. They are about 6 inches long, and should have 
a taper of about y 2 inch, likewise the mortises. 



/ 


£* 


X 


/ 
z 



m 




TV ■■ 




Fig* 31 — Construction of frame 



The tail-stock, E, is J 1 /* inches wide, to suit the width of the 
lathe-bed. The guide, a, is 1 inch thick by jy 2 inches long. It is 
secured to the stock with screws, allowance being made for 
enabling the stock to slide, as stated above. It is 4 inches 
wide, there being but one wedge. The full height, including the 
tongue, which is the same as that of the head-stock, is 13 inches. 
The location of the plates, g, referred to elsewhere, will depend 
upon the size of the bearings, /, shown in detail in Fig. 34. 

The tool rest and clamp F, G, and L, Fig. 35, can be made of 
either hard wood, or metal. The length of the clamp F is 9 



30 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



inches, width 2 inches, and thickness 1 inch, the body for the 
rest being 2>4 inches deep. A small plate c is tapped for a thumb- 
screw f, about 7/16 inch diameter. L is an ordinary square- 



















\ \ i 


y 



Vfety^ 



/ 

/ 


A 
/ \ 
/ \ 


\ 











Fig. 32 — Details of head-stock 






i \ 

1 j 

1 






1 ! 




a 










Fig r 33 — The tail-stock 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



31 




headed bolt of suitable length, y% inch diameter, furnished with a 
cruciform claw, 4 inches square, outside dimensions. A metal 
nut, d, 1% inches square, shaped to fit the groove in the clamp 
F, is threaded to take the bolt, L. The rest, G, can be made 
of either metal or wood. The pulley, H, has a 2-inch face, and is 
2^/2 inches diameter. It is made of hard wood, and is secured to 
the spindle, K, described in the previous article. A plate, /, is 
secured to the outside edge of the head-stock, to take the thrust 
coming upon the spindle, or 
chuck, K, when work is being 
turned in the lathe. At M is 
shown a ^-inch adjusting 
screw, with the end brought 
to a cone-shaped point. The 
plates, g, are tapped to suit, 
and are secured to the stock, 
flush with the outside face, 
with wood screws. The cor- 
ners throughout the job are 
chamfered, and the surfaces 
made smooth. 

The pulley H is belted to a 
driving pulley on a counter- 
shaft. Should it be desired to 
make a foot-power lathe, a 
couple of bearings can be se- 
cured to the blocks B, and a crank shaft run through. The fly- 
wheel should be heavy, and a light guard should be placed around, 
as it will have to be on the outside to come under the head-stock 
pulley, H. 

Almost any kind of wood will do for the general construction, 
but yellow pine will be found serviceable, and give weight to the 
lathe, otherwise it may be found necessary to anchor it down to 
the shop floor, if driven by power from the saw. 

In Fig. 36 are given the changes necessary for a foot-power 
lathe. A blacksmith will make the crank shaft for a small sum. 




Fig. 34 — The spindle 



jr 



32 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The wheel can be procured from almost any junk dealer. The 
treadle is made from two i-inch by 4-inch strips, hinged to the 
back stay, and a distance piece. An ordinary staple, clinched on 



r 



r~\ 



o 



S2P 



k 




Fig. 35 — The tool rest and tail screw 




Fig- 36 — The treadle mechanism 

the underside, will do for holding the eye end of the connecting- 
rod, a hook being formed at the other end to slip over the crank. 
-3 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 33 

EXTENSION FOR SPEED LATHE BEDS 

When it is desired to turn a piece of work which is longer 
than the bed of your lathe the scheme illustrated in the accom- 
panying photograph will be found useful. Take two strips of 
wood equal in width to the depth of the lathe bed, letting them 
extend out as far as desired. Screw a block the width of the 
lathe bed across the ends of the side strips, so as to hold the end 
firm, and in alinement. Also screw two strips inside of the side 
strips at the closed end, of a length equal to the poppet head, 
leaving a slot of the same width as the slot in top of lathe bed 




Fig- 37 — Extension for speed lathes 

and flush with side strips, which will hold the poppet head in 
alinement with chuck. 

Screw a piece of bar iron across the side strips at the front. 
Bore a hole in the center of the bar for a bolt which should run 
through same and also through a similar iron strip beneath lathe 
bed parallel with upper strip. This will clamp the front end of 
side strips firmly to the bed. Also fasten another strip near the 
end of the lathe bed and resting on bed to support the extension 
and keep it in alinement with upper face of bed. A series of 
holes may be drilled through the side strips so that a bolt may 
pass through same close to rear end of lathe bed which will 



34 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



clamp the side strips rigidly to the sides of the lathe bed. The 
construction makes it possible to draw out the extension to any- 
desired degree. The writer has found this to be a very useful 
attachment. — 60 

THE SCROLL-SAW 

The following description of a scroll-saw was given to the 
writer by a first-class mechanic, who assured him that it was one 
of the most useful articles he had in his shop ; and judging by 
the number of times it was borrowed for cutting many shapes of 
ornamental woodwork, which can generally be found in almost 
any kind of house building, it spoke well for the mechanic and 
the efficiency of the saw. Brackets up to 3 inches in thickness 




Fig. 38 — General side view of the scroll-saw 



were easily cut out, and all the ornamental scroll work on the 
outside of his beautiful frame house. 

A general side view of the saw is given in Fig. 38, while the 
lathe described in a foregoing article, page 27, is shown in 
dotted lines attached to the saw. The other illustrations, Figs. 
39 to 44, give various details and sections. The reference let- 
ters, from A to Z, are duplicated on each figure, and tend rather 
to make an otherwise very simply constructed mechanism appear 
complicated. 

While the proper sizes of lumber will be given, there is no 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 35 

reason why every part of the saw cannot be made from such 
material as may be found around almost any house. 

It will be noticed that the framework consists of but three 
different sections of timber and i-inch boards. The bottom 
framework is 2 feet 6 inches wide and 8 feet in length over all. 
The height from the floor to the top of the table, /, is 3 feet 7/ 
inches. A list of material follows, with allowance for cutting 
where necessary: 

Pieces. In. In. Ft. In. 

2 (A) 3x4 x8 o 

2 (D) 2x6 X4 4/ 

2 (C) 2x6 X3 4/ 

2 (I) 2x6 X3 4^ 

6 (B) 2x6 x2 6/ 

1 (P) 2x6 xi o 

1 (G) 2x3/2x4 6 

2 (H) 2x3/2x4 6 

1 (E) 2x3/2x3 3 

2 (F) 2x3/2x3 3 

1 (Z) 2x3/2x2 7/ 

1 (Q) 2x3/2x0 6 

2 (U) 2x2 xi o 

1 (X) 2x2 xo 8 

1 (J) 1x36 x 3 o 

2 (K) 1x9 x2 9 

1 (N) 1x3 X5 1/ 

1 (M) 1x3 X4 10/ 

1 (O) 1x2 x 5 9 

2 (L) 1X2 X2 o 

2 (V) 1x2 xi o 

1 (W) 1x2 x o 7/ 

1 (T) ixi/xi 9 

The upright D can be made from a 4 x 6-inch instead of two 
pieces as given in list, and the guides U with the block X can be 
made from i-inch stuff. 



J 



36 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



When level, the saw frames M and N are 153/2 inches apart, 
out to out. Pieces are secured to the ends, I -inch by 8-inch, cut 
to the same shape, and provided with holes for an adjusting bolt, 




Fig 39 — Extending the rim of the wheel 

with washers top and bottom. The holes should be of such a 
shape to give ample room for this bolt. Mortises are cut in D 




Fig. 40 — Details of the saw frame 

for the saw frame, 1^ inches wide by 4^ inches deep. They are 
centrally located with the frames, and the top edge of the first 
mortise is 3 inches from the top of upright D. 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



37 



All the uprights and braces are cut where they come in contact 
with the bottom framework A and B ; some of them being fur- 
ther secured to the inside face of the 3-inch by 4-inch sills with 




Fig. 41 — Plan view of the machine 

nails or screws. While nails will be permissible, if clinched, it 
will make a more satisfactory job to use screws throughout the 
construction. The bearings can be made of hard wood, if there 




Fig. 42 — Vertical section of the machine 



is any difficulty in procuring suitable ones made of brass or iron. 

An ordinary light buggy wheel, Y, is provided with 4^2 -inch 

rim, made of ^4 -inch oak or pine, bent into shape by steaming or 



38 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



soaking in water, and secured to the tire of the wheel, Y , by 
means of two false rims, or lugs, as detailed in Fig. 39. 

The saw blades are generally provided with a small hole at 
either end. By means of an ordinary wood screw or a bolt, one 
end of the saw blade can be connected to the arm N and the block 
X. The arm M, however, has a different attachment, to allow 
for the necessary alignment of the saw blade, and in all prob- 
ability this will necessitate the a.id of a blacksmith, so a detail 
sketch is given (Fig. 40). The hole at this end of the saw blade 
is filed open to form a hook. Details of the guides U and the 
block A' are also given in Fig. 40. 




aSgj pin. A5 sc/vTrtd- zn & sfraf? 
overtt.tT*- direction, o/ aj-ra?r 




Fig. 43— A simple foot-brake 

The balance wheel 5 was purchased from a junk dealer. It 
was found insufficient in weight, when heavy stuff was to be cut, 
so an extra wheel was put on the end of the shaft beyond the out- 
bearing Q. A strip of wood W was secured to the vacant holes 
left by the spindle and crankpin of the old wheel, and a new 
center made for the end of the connecting rod T, giving a stroke 
of 3^2 inches to the saw. The two strips V , secured to the 
upright P, are used to hold down the bearing by means of a 
hardwood wedge driven over the top, as indicated in Figs. 41 
and 42. 

The hardwood pulley R is 6 inches diameter and 5 inches face. 
It is secured to the shaft in the manner shown in Fig. 43. A 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



39 



simple brake, made from a piece of 3-inch by 4-inch timber, 
shaped on one edge to fit the rim of the wheel., and operated by 
the foot, is shown in Fig. 43, it having been omitted in the gen^ 
eral views. The connecting rod T is made from hardwood, 21 
inches long, 18 inches center to center of holes for two ordinary 
wood screws, to connect the ends to the block X and crank W. 

Ordinary jig-saws are usually provided with bellows, so an 
arrangement similar in construction is given in Fig. 44. The 
bellows are of sheepskin or soft leather. The head is to be 
secured to the under side of the table J, and the bottom furnished 
with a leather flap valve on the inside. The opening must of 
course clear the arm N ; so also must the tube connection. 



\Z. 




^rap/ts 



~~J%£ ts/Zetrs, 






Fig. 44 — How the bellows is arranged 

The motive power of this scroll saw is of course someone 

at the crank end of the driving wheel Y, but there is no reason 

why the wheel and its supports should not be taken off, and a 

small gas or oil engine connected direct to the pulley R with a 

belt. When the saw is not in N service the wheel may be taken 

off and the framework placed against the end wall, or even 

hung up.— 3 

A COMBINED SCROLL SAW, TOOL GRINDER, ROUTER, AND 
DRILL PRESS 

Perhaps many an amateur is looking around for something to 
turn his lathe or to drive his emery wheel, or may be he is think- 
ing of making a jig saw that will compare favorably with the 
best ; not a mere toy, but a saw of practical value ; a saw that one 
man can operate, and that is capable of cutting through a 2-inch 



4Q 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



oak plank if necessary. Of course the amateur will take more ' 
pride and pleasure in a machine made by his own hands, and 




will strive to have it much better in many respects than anything 
on the market. 

The accompanying illustrations are intended to show just how 
a practical machine of the kind can be built, and it will enable 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



4* 



him to bring into active service, again, the old and forgotten 
bicycle he stored away in the attic some years ago. No attempt 
has been made to show any details of the driving mechanism, as 
of course that will largely depend upon the gear and make of the 
bicycle to be used, and on such old gearwheels and pinions as 
the amateur may have on hand, or is able to purchase. Almost 
anything will do, as long as the proper speed of the saw is 
obtained, which should be six to seven strokes to one revolution 
of the pedals, The arms with their fastenings are detailed very 




Fig. 46 — The scroll-saw table 



carefully, and if the dimensions are closely adhered to there will 
be no trouble in assembling them. The mountings as well as the 
saw blades, in different widths, may be bought in the market. 

Fig. 45 represents a side elevation of the scroll saw with its 
accessories, which consist of a tool grinder A, molder B, and 
drill press C. A grater mill, such as used for grinding apples for 
cider and the like, may be added as shown in dotted lines. 

The Scroll Saw. — A table, supported on suitable legs, shown in 
Fig. 46, is made first. To this the bicycle is securely fastened at 
the front and rear ends. The rear hub is secured on one side to 



42 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



an ordinary shelf bracket i, depending from the table, and on 
the other to a small brace 2, which is better shown in the plan 
view, Fig. 47. The front forks, 3, are cut off and with front 
hub 4 are fastened to a block of wood, 5, depending from the 
under side of the table. This block also forms a support for 
the crankshaft, 6. 

It will be noticed that the rims as well as the spokes of the 




Fig. 47 — Plan view of the gearing 

wheels are removed, also the steering post is taken out and the 
saddle is turned end for end. To the flange of the rear hub, 7, 
is bolted a large gear wheel, 8, meshing with a pinion, 9, on the 
front hub, 4, which also carries another large gear, 10, meshing 
into another gear, 11, fastened to crankshaft, 6. The latter gear 
carries a wrist pin, 12, and is connected to the lower arm, 13, of 
the saw frame by means of a pitman, 14. One of the flanges of 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



43 



the front hub, 4, is cut off, and the gears 9 and 10 are slipped 
on and soldered fast to the barrel of the hub. The gear train 
from the sprocket chain to the saw frame is shown in Fig. 48. 
At the opposite end of crankshaft 6 is fastened a small flywheel, 
15, with a handle, 16; its purpose to be explained later. It is 
now evident that when the operator works the pedals the crank- 
shaft 18 will revolve and the saw-carrying arms, 13 and 13a, 
owing to their connection therewith will be moved up and down. 
The arms 13 and 13a are made of hard wood, such as maple or 
hickory. They are fulcrumed at the rear end of the table and are 




Fig. 48 — Gear train from sprocket chain to saw frame 



provided with suitable fastenings at their forward ends to receive 
the saw blade, while their rear ends are connected by a suitable 
turnbuckle to regulate the tension of <the saw blade. To the arms 
are bolted small brackets, 21 (see Fig. 49), made of sheet steel 
about % inch thick, which have at their outer ends small half- 
round recesses, 22, made by a very blunt chisel on top of a piece 
of hard endwood. 

To the rear end of the table is fastened a short block of wood, 
23, say 8 inches long, and on- this block is fastened a small steel 
plate, 24, with projecting ends, 25, which fit into the recesses, 22, 
of the brackets, 21, on which the arms 13 and 13a rock. In close 
proximity to this plate is an iron rod passing through said arms 
riveted at each end, with a leather washer between, which serves 



44 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 45 

as a cushion and allows sufficient flexibility to enable the arms to 
swing on their fulcrum. The clamping devices for the saw are 
made of wrought iron or steel. The lower clamp has down- 
wardly extending lugs for connection with the pitman. It will 
be noticed there is a small recess at the top and bottom to receive 
a cross pin or nail, which passes through the saw blade and serves 
to keep the blade from slipping through the clamp. The lower 
bracket is securely bolted to the arm, whereas the upper one is 
adjustable forward or rearward, according to the width of the 
saw blade used. The pitman is made of hard wood. 

A small pneumatic or bellows is secured to the table, and is 
operated by the movement of the lower arm 13. It is connected 
with a small rubber hose terminating in close proximity to the 
saw blade so that the sawdust will be blown away from the line 
or mark which the cut is to follow. 

Now for ordinary work the operator is seated on the saddle, 
and treads the pedals, having his hands free to manipulate the 
work, but in case the work should be so large that the operator 
could not use the saddle, he may stand at one side of the machine 
and operate the saw with the hand by using the handle 16 on the 
flywheel, while with the other hand he can guide the work under 
the saw. A suitable guide may be attached to the table for 
straight work. 

Tool Grinder. — The tool grinder consists of an old bicycle hub, 
26 (Fig. 50), to which is soldered a suitable leg or support, 2J, 
made of say i^x^-inch iron, which is fastened to a hinged 
block, 28, with wood screws. To the central rod of the bearing- 
is fastened a small pulley on one side, and an emery wheel on the 
other. The block is hinged to the main table, and held in upright 
position with a sliding bolt 29, which is pushed under the block, 
when the emery wheel is in use. 

When the wheel is not in use the bolt 29 is withdrawn, allow- 
ing grinder to swing 'downward, as indicated by dotted lines in 
Fig. 50. In this position it will not interfere with the free move- 
ment of the work on top of the table. The emery wheel is driven 
by a small belt from the flywheel 15. The wheel should run 



46 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



about 1,000 revolutions per minute, but of course that is governed 
by the rate of pedaling. 

Drill-Press. — Fig. 45 shows in dotted lines a portion of a small 
drill-press clamped to a rail, fastened to the under side of the 
table, and driven by a belt from the flywheel 15. The tool is 
shown to better advantage in Fig. 51. This makes a very handy 




Fig. 50— Hinged mounting of the 
tool grinder 



Fig- 5 1 — The drill-press 



and a convenient way to operate the drill. The drill-presses on 
the market generally have an arrangement for changing the speed, 
and almost any speed on the drill may be obtained. 

Router. — The router or molder consists of a small cutter head, 
30 (Fig. 52), fastened with a set-screw to shaft 31, mounted in 
suitable bearings 32 and 33. To the lower end of the shaft is 
fastened a small bevel 'gear, 34, meshing with another, 35, 
mounted on a shaft, 36. The latter revolves in a bracket, 32 (see 
Fig. 47). At the. opposite end of the shaft 36 is a small pinion, 37, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



47 



meshing with the gear wheel n. The bracket 32 is made to slide 
up and down a short rail, 38, fastened to the legs of the table, 
and it may be held in position by a bolt, 39. Fig. 52 shows the 
train of gears in mesh and ready for operation. By unscrewing 
the nut of said bolt, the bracket may be moved downward, and 
will cause the gears 11 and 37 to separate, thereby throwing the 
device out of operation. The cutter head 30 should of course 
first be removed. It is now evident that by using different-shaped 




Fig. 52 — The router or molder 



cutter heads different moldings may be cut out. Of course a 
suitable guide must be used on the table to guide the work. 

Grater. — The grater, shown in dotted lines at the lower right- 
hand corner of Fig. 45, consists of a box, in which is mounted 
to revolve in suitable bearings a shaft carrying on four extending 
arms two ordinary half round graters, soldered together, making 
a perfect circle. At the inner end of the shaft is fastened a 
gear-wheel, which meshes into the gear-wheel 8 on the rear hub 7. 
A suitable hopper is arranged at the top. This whole contrivance 



4 8 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



may be slid out and in horizontally and removed when not in use. 
A photograph of the machine in use is shown herewith. — 5 

SCROLL-SAW GUIDE 

The object of the device illustrated in Fig. 54 is to enable one 
to obtain a true edge with a scroll saw. 

On the saw plate is clamped a semicircular guide,, by means of 
two thumbscrews. The guide plate should be raised from the 




Fi & 53— The complete machine in use 



saw plate about y& of an inch by running several washers on the 
screws between the two plates, so that the article to be cut may 
be slid under the guide, as is hereafter explained. Two slots 
about 3 inches long should be made in the guide to receive the 
screws and permit adjustment of the plate. 

A strip of %. -inch walnut about two feet long and one inch 
wide is procured and a quarter inch slot is cut in it, extending 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY ^49 

nearly its entire length. A thumbscrew is fitted to run in this 
groove and engages a block which is adapted to slide along the 
under side of the strip. At one end of the strip a permanent 
block is fastened. 

To make a straight cut in a board at any prescribed angle with 
one of its edges the walnut strip is fitted to it parallel to the line 
of the desired cut and so that the two opposite extremities of the 



Fig. 54 — Scroll-saw guide 

board are clamped between the permanent block and the adjust- 
able block. The guide plate is then clamped in position, its edge 
parallel to the plane of the saw, at such a distance that when the 
strip is placed against the edge of the guide, the saw will exactly 
coincide with the line to be sawed. — 67 

THE HOME-MADE DRILL-PRESS 
Next to the lathe in importance comes the drill-press. While 
it does not cost nearly as much as a lathe, still its price would 
put a large hole in the average amateur's capital. Below is the 
description of a small drill-press made by the writer out of a 
cheap breast drill. 



50 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The breast drill A (Fig. 55) is fastened to a block B of i-inch 
pine with two iron bands. The block in turn is fastened to 
a heavy round pole D, such as portieres are hung on, about 5 feet 

long, with 2-inch screws. This pole 
runs through two guides CC, which 
have holes bored in them to receive 
'. it. In order to prevent the pole from 
turning, a ^4 -inch dowel pin is split 
in two, and one half is fastened to 
the pole, as indicated at D. 

The hole in each guide C for the 
dowel to slide in is bored before the 
larger hole is cut and has its center 
on the circumference of the large hole. 
The guides CC are strongly braced to 
keep the drill true. The face plate B 
is made of a pine block i^A, inch, 
thick. 

The drill is held down to its work 
by pressing on the pedal F. This 
pedal is hinged to the wall. It is con- 
nected to the top of the drill part by 
a rope G, which runs through two pul- 
leys, as indicated in the illustration. 

The drill-press, breast drill and all,, 
was built for about two dollars and 
gave very good service. — 57 

MITER BOX 




Fig- 55 — The handy man's 
drill-press 



Beech, a strong and durable close- 
grained wood, should be used in mak- 
ing a miter box. Make the. box of 
1 -inch stuff, planed down to J/g. The 
length will vary according to whether the 60-degree miter cuts 
are used, in addition to the 45-degree and the right-angle cuts, in 
which case the box should be about 30 inches in length. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 5 1 

One of the sides and the bottom are made of 6-inch wide 
material, the other side being 7 inches wide, so that it will project 
below the bottom of the box 1 inch, forming a ridge to bear 
against the workbench when sawing. 

The positions of 
saw cuts should be 1 V " :ZZI 
laid out very accur- 
ately in pencil first, 
and when sawing 
them care must be 
taken to keep the saw 
over the pencil lines 
in the horizontal and 
vertical lines. The 



L_._L.LJJ 



Fig. 56 — Construction of the miter box 



sides should be secured to the bottom with screws or nails at 
points each side the saw cuts. It is a very good plan to lightly 
tack a narrow board to the bottom of the box, as indicated by the 
broken line, to protect it from the wear of the saw. — 3 
A CARPENTER'S CLAMP 
For holding work together while being glued or nailed, a 





DDDOOOOOOO 



000.00c 



0. 










r. 





O 






3: 





00000 



J. 



Jo 



o 



Z3 




Fig. 57 — Details of the carpenter's clamp 



52 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

clamp of some description is indispensable. The one herewith 
illustrated has the advantage of being easily made by a blacksmith 
or the mechanic himself. 

In Fig. 57, A, with the extension B, shows the clamp com- 
plete. The extension B is used on large work, such as door 
frames. It is about 20 inches in length, after the end has been 
turned up, as shown, iy 2 inches. The first three holes are made 
square, to bite the thumbscrew L, by which it is connected to 
the body A. The clamp is made of iy 2 by 5/16-inch wrought 
iron. A is 30 inches long, including the threaded end, which is 
Y\ inch diameter by 6 inches long. The holes are made to suit 
the thumbscrew L, y% inch diameter. The stops D and C are 
identical, except that D has the slots rounded out to pass over 
the threaded end of the clamp, as shown in detail at / and F. 
Two plates are cut out as shown at E, 5 by 3 by }4 inch, and four 
holes bored in the corners, }4 mcn diameter. A slot is cut in the 
center, large enough to slip easily over the body of the clamp. 
As already stated, in one case this slot must be rounded out in the 
center to pass over the threaded end of the clamp. Two pieces H, 
3 by 34 by 9 inches, are cut out as shown, the legs being 3 inches 
long, and tapered down to Y\ inch diameter. The legs are spread 
to suit the holes in the plates F and G, into which they are riveted, 
after being bent into shape as indicated in the sketch marked A 7 . 

The crank O, detailed at K, is made from a ^s-inch diameter 
bar about 15 inches in length; the part forming the handle being 
4^/2 inches long. A boss one inch long is formed at one end, 
and threaded to suit the end of the clamp A. A washer M, to take 
up the wear, and a thumbscrew L complete the list. — 3 
TWO HANDY CLAMPS 

The small clamps illustrated in Fig. 58, being of exactly the 
same size and shape, are a very handy thing to have in the 
workshop. 

To make them, select two pieces of machine steel just large 
enough to finish to the size of the U frame of the clamp as shown, 
namely, 2^4 by \]/ 2 by y> inches. The two broad faces of each 
piece must be filed to as nearly a plane surface as it is possible to 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



53 



get them, having each piece y 2 inch thick. Test the surfaces by 
placing the pieces together, and carefully mark the two faces 
which fit the best with a small file cut on one edge of each 
surface. 

The two pieces are now to be sweated or soldered together, 




B 



J 
i 






Fig. 58 — Two handy clamps 



having these two marked surfaces next to each other. This is done 
in the following manner : Heat the pieces until solder will melt 
upon them, then cover each of the marked surfaces with soldering 
acid and rub on a coating of solder. Place the two pieces with the 
solder-covered faces together, and clamp them firmly. Heat 
again until the solder runs together, then allow them to cool 
slowly. Upon removing the clamp you will find that the two 
blocks of steel are firmly fastened together, making one solid 
block. 

Next true up the edges of the block, making all angles right 



54 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

angles. This gives you a neat block of steel 2^ by i/ 2 by I 
inches. Be sure to make the angle between the sides which will 
form the back and the bottom of the clamp a right angle, so that 
holes at exactly right angles may be drilled in a piece of work 
without removing it from the clamps by first drilling with the 
clamps in an upright position, and then turning them so that they 
rest upon their backs, and drilling the second hole. 

Now we come to cutting out the inside of the clamps. Lay 
off the shape of the clamp as shown in Fig. 58, and drill a series 
of 5/16-inch holes extending from C to D, locating the two end 
ones as shown in the drawing. Make two hack-saw cuts from 
the front edge, one to C and one to D. File the surfaces thus 
formed to the guide lines, making sure that the surface at E is 
parallel to the bottom. 

The next thing is to drill and tap the holes for the screws. 
These holes are located in the center of each clamp, that is, 
J /4 inch from each of the broad faces and ]/\ inch from the front 
face. These holes must be drilled and tapped for a 5/16-inch 
screw r . Drill the hole in the back of the clamp to hold the pin 
B. This hole should be y% inch in diameter, and located in the 
middle of the top face of each clamp, 5/16 inch from the back 
edge. Drill to a depth of i^s inches. 

Separate the two clamps by heating until the solder holding 
them together melts. 

The bodies of the clamp are completed now, except that they 
may be polished by rubbing with emery cloth and oil. In polish- 
ing, great care should be used not to get the angle between the 
back and bottom faces out of true. 

The screws are turned from a piece of 7/16-inch steel rod. 
The shape and all dimensions are given in the drawing {A, Fig. 
58.) United States standard threads are the best to use, as their 
edges are less liable to break under strain. 

The round top of the screw is knurled, and a V^-inch hole 
drilled through it for the clamping bar to fit into. This clamp- 
ing bar is made from a % -inch bar, and is 2^ inches long. A 
hack-saw cut is made in one end to a depth of J/? inch. This bar 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



55 



must be rubbed down with emery cloth until it will fit loosely into 
the hole drilled for it in the back of the clamp. When a sliding 
fit is obtained, the bottom of the bar must be sprung a little by 
forcing the sides of the hack-saw cut apart. This will prevent 
the bar from slipping out of the socket when placed in it. 

If a good grade of steel is used, the screws may be hardened by 
heating evenly to a cherry red and cooling in water. — 22 
A QUICK CLAMP 

A quick method of clamping a piece of work to the drill press 
or any table in which there are the usual holes for such a pur- 
pose is often a time saver. 

The accompanying 



Work* 



vMiocftWm 


ni 


tlUfencZu 




s- 




A 






■mm^/////m 




Fig. 


59- 


-A quick clamp 



illustration shows a 
quick clamp, which 
can be made of metal 
for machine-shop use 
or of wood for the 
carpenter's bench. 

The piece B is 
made L-shaped and 
is pivoted on the 
point F. The piece C ■ 

is provided with a set screw, which rests against the heel of B. 
The shank of B is dropped through the hole in the bench, 
and the work placed under C, care being taken to have the 
piece B sloping back out of the vertical. Pressure on the set 
screw D locks the work under C in a very short time, and un- 
screwing releases it at once. — 22 

THE SAW CLAMP 

The majority of saw clamps on the market are either secured 
to the workbench by means of a thumbscrew clamp or other 
adjustment, or they are held in the vise — an arrangement hav- 
ing several bad features, which are overcome by the clamp here 
described. With this clamp it is unnecessary to take out the saw, 
or unscrew the vise, when changing off to file the other edge of 
the teeth. Instead, the clamp and framework is turned around 



56 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



bodily. It can be moved from place to place, to a good light, 
or wherever most convenient, since it is not dependent upon a vise 
or bench for its support. The clamp being longer than the width 
of the vise, takes a better grip upon the saw ; and the simplicity 
of clamping it (without the usual adjustment by means of a screw 
or pin) recommends it. 

The framework may be made of light wood ; the 4 by ^4 -inch 
pieces being let in flush with the face of the 1^4 by 3^2-inch side 
bars, to stiffen it. To prevent the 4-inch slot for the saw split- 



30*- 




Fig. 60 — Convenient clamp for saws 



ting down when the clamps are driven in, a bolt is put through 
6^2 inches from the top, as indicated in Fig. 60. 

The clamps should be hard wood, 30 inches long, shaped out as 
detailed. The 4^ -inch recess, to allow for the saw handle, should 
be cut when the two clamps are together, since this makes them 
right and left handed. When making the two clamps, the taper 
should be obtained before the edges are rounded off, as shown in 
broken lines. 

The lower right-hand corner sketch shows the clamp in the 
framework without the saw. When necessary to set a saw, it is 
dropped in the 4-inch deep slot, teeth up, the two clamps wedged 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 57 

into place on each side of it being driven home with a mallet or 
hammer. — 3 

AN IMPROVED SAW CLAMP 

The saw clamp described above is of service in the workshop, 
but the following is a modification used by carpenters and others 
when the facilities at hand are limited. 

Oftentimes when one wishes to file a saw while away from 
the shop and has no filing clamp at hand, he is at a loss to 
know how to hold the tool during the operation. A handy ex- 
pedient is to take a board or joist and turning it on edge, end on, 



Fig. 61 — Handy saw filing clamp 

make a cut with the saw to almost its depth. Then place the saw 
in the cut, teeth uppermost, and drive in several small wedges 
along one side. This always holds the saw nicely, and the whole 
may be nailed to a step, sill, or part of the framing, or may be 
placed in a carpenter's vise. To loosen the saw, strike the top 
of its handle with the hand. — 72 

HOME-MADE SAW FILING VISE 
Desiring a saw-filing vise that would allow an ordinary saw 
to be filed or set from end to end without change and without 
chattering, to hold the saw rigidly and yet so that it could be 
instantly released, the writer made a device as follows : In the 
barn loft there was a south window with a good light. To the 
3 by 4 studding at each side of the window and at right angles to 
it, at a convenient height, two pieces of wood 1 by 12 by 12 inches 
were firmly nailed, thus forming two brackets. Two pieces of 
straight 2 by ^4 -inch flat iron, long enough to go across these 



58 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




Fig. 62 — The saw vise attached to a window frame 




Fig. 63— Cross-section showing the cam 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



59 



brackets, were found, also two straight pieces of i by i-inch iron 
(discarded square-bed carriage axles with stubs off). The latter 
pieces were faced with the flat iron by means of a couple of 
countersunk-head stove bolts. Two pieces of 2 by 2-inch angle 
iron would have done as well. These made the two jaws of the 
vise, and they were placed across brackets in front of window, 
with a wooden strip between the inside jaw and the studding to 
take the file thrust. On the inner side of each bracket a lever of 
1 Y\ -inch square hardwood was pivoted, with the upper end bear- 
ing against the outer jaw. Two circles of wood were cut and 




Fig. 64— The handy man's saw buck 

mounted on bolts in the brackets, but an inch off center, so 
that they could be used as cams to press against the lower ends 
•of the lever and force the upper ends firmly against outer jaw, 
thus clamping the saw firmly in place. A handle was secured 
to each cam, with which to tighten and release the vise. — 61 
THE SAW BUCK 
The handy man's saw buck may be made from 2^ or 3-inch 
stuff, 30 inches long, half- jointed, 9 inches from one end, as 
shown, the feet being spread 24 inches out to out. Battens, 6 
inches by 1 inch, with the top edges bearing squarely against the 



6o 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



legs, secure the latter together, 10 inches apart inside measure- 
ment. A 3 by i -inch strip at the bottom on each side serves as 
a foot rest. — 3 

TRESTLES, HORSES, OR STOOLS 

They go by either of these names. Though simple enough, and 
at first thought almost unnecessary to refer to, it will be found 
by observation that few mechanics have a perfectly-built trestle. 

The length should be twice the height. The 3 by 4 piece should 
be on edge, and it should bear squarely upon the end boards, which 
in turn should be secured to the legs with screws or nails. The 




Fig. 65— A well-built trestle 



legs should slant in two directions ; their bearing location longi- 
tudinally being in line with the ends of the 3 by 4 piece, as shown 
in Fig. 65, so that the trestle will not tilt. Full dimensions for 
construction are given on the various views, and need not be 
repeated in the text. The notches for the legs are shown in larger 
scale views, and are dimensioned in such a manner that no trouble 
need be experienced in cutting them out. — 3 
A ROLLER JACK 
For moving heavy timber and other uses, a roller jack will be 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



6l 



found very handy. It is easily constructed, any amateur being 
able to do the blacksmithing required. The framework should be 
made of oak or heavy tough wood ; the roller of pepperidge or 
sour gum, a wood which will not easily split. The bottom face of 




Fig. 66 — Plan and end views of the roller jack 



the framework is in the same plane, in other words lies flat on the 
ground at all points. 

The general dimensions are given in Fig. 66. The 3^ by 2- 
inch braces should be connected to the side pieces with mortise 
and tenon joints, and secured in place with wooden drift pins. 



62 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Wrought-iron plates are bolted to the upper face of the sides, 
for the roller axles to wear on. These plates should project over 
the sides a little as shown, to take the wear of the washers on the 
axles. These washers are made from staples bent around the 
axles, which are three-quarters of an inch diameter, round iron. 
The axles are round at one end and square at the other; the 
square end being driven into the roller with a driving fit. The 
bearing ends of the axles are % inch in diameter. — 3 

A STEAM BOX 
It is sometimes necessary to bend or twist wood into various 
shapes to suit certain work. Long or short strips, and even planks, 




Fig. 67 — The steam box in use 



can be made very pliable by steaming them from half an hour to 
an hour in a cheaply-constructed box, like the one illustrated. 
The size of the box will naturally depend upon the class of work 
to be operated upon. Boxes all the way to 35 feet in length by 
3 feet square have been made for bending planks in boat build- 
ing. For ordinary work, however, a box 10 to 12 inches square 
by 8 to 12 feet in length will be ample. 

The box is made of inch boards, nailed together with ten-penny 
nails, about 6 or 8 inches apart, with one end closed permanently, 
and the other either furnished with a hinged lid and two side 
catches, or left open entirely. When the latter scheme is resorted 
to, either an old piece of carpet, burlap, or hay can be used to close 
up the end. Even when the hinged lid is used, it is well to use 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 63 

a piece of burlap as indicated. An ample-sized pot is fur- 
nished with a wooden lid, which is made to fit the opening tightly. 
A hole is cut in the lid of the kettle, and the bottom of the steam 
box, with a compass saw, large enough to take a piece of pipe 
iy 2 to 2 inches in diameter. 

The pipe must fit very tightly. It must be of sufficient length 
to prevent the box from coming too near the fire ; say 4 feet from 
the ground. 

The kettle is suspended from the middle of the box by means 
of a strong wire or chain over a fire. The wooden lid is fur- 
nished with an opening for a funnel to supply the kettle with 
water. The opening is closed with a tight-fitting cork when the 



s: 



A 



Fig. 68 — Handy planing dog 

funnel is not used. The box is generally placed outside the shop, 
within convenient reach, upon a couple of trestles or horses. — 3 

HANDY PLANING DOG 

When away from the shop, and wishing to plane a stick which 
has beveled ends, and having no means at hand of resting the 
bevel against anything without crushing the point, simply cut a 
short piece, slightly thinner than the work, to approximately the 
same bevel. Drive a nail at right angles to the bevel till it pro- 
trudes one-fourth or three-eighths, bend this parallel with the 
edges of the piece, and then bend the head of the nail down flush 
with the stick. This last bend prevents the nail turning. Nail 
this piece to a step, sill, or floor, rest the end of the piece to be 
planed against the nail point, which acts precisely like a bench dog, 
and the piece may be firmly held. — J2 



CHAPTER II. 
3HOP KINKS 

THE CLOTHESPIN ON THE HANDY MANS WORKBENCH 

Even so commonplace an article as a clothespin can be put 
to use in the workshop of the resourceful amateur. The ac- 
companying illustrations show how. Fig. 69 illustrates a, clothes- 
pin compass. A large pin is passed through the head to form the 




Fig. 70 — Clothespin clainp 



Fig. 71 — Tool rack made of 
clothespins 



pinion. A pencil slightly flattened is inserted in slot of clothes- 
pin and is clamped in place by a setscrew. One side of the 
clothespin may also be graduated so as to enable one to set the 
compass for any size of circle without the use of a rule. 

Clothespins make very good clamps to hold small work to- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



65 



gether for matching holes, etc. The ends are drawn together by 
thumbscrews, as shown in Fig. 70. 

By fitting a number of clothespins in a wooden block as in 
Fig. 71 a convenient tool rack or file for order blanks, cards, etc., 
is made. — 14 

A SIMPLE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A HANDLE 

The accompanying illustration shows a simple method of 
constructing a neat and strong handle for a box, or a drawer. 
The handle is fashioned from two similar shade roller brackets 
which are fastened in place by means of screws at the points 
where the handle is needed. A piece of pipe or tubing is posi- 




Fig. 72 — Handle made of shade roller brackets 



tioned between the brackets and is held in place by a stiff wire 
or other rod which passes through the tubing and the openings 
in the brackets, having the ends hammered down or riveted at 
the outside of the bracket. The tubing may be of brass or any 
other suitable material adapted for the purpose, and preferably 
tending to add to the appearance of the handle. The ends of the 
tube should be inserted in the concavities of the brackets, as is 
shown most clearly in the sectional view. — 55 



66 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



CONVENIENT HOLDER FOR SANDPAPER 

In sandpapering woodwork of irregular shape the paper is 
laid over a slick of wood and used practically as a file. For 
holding the paper the writer has often used a simple holder for 
different kinds of work with satisfactory results. The holder 
consists of a stick, preferably of pine wood, of the required shape 
and size and tapering slightly toward one end. Into the narrow 
end saw a slot in the center to about two-thirds its length. Cut 
off a piece of sandpaper wide enough to go around the stick, 




Fig. 73— Convenient holder for sandpaper 



allowing a liberal margin to fit into the slot. Fold the paper so 
it can be slipped into the slot and around the holder from the 
end; pull it down until it fits snugly, when it is ready for use. 
Emery cloth can be used in the same way for polishing parts 
of machines and the like. 

In Fig. 73 the holder is shown at A, and the paper folded ready 
to apply at B. The sections C to F suggest some shapes that 
may be used. — 91 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



67 



HOW TO FILE ROUND WORK 

It is an easy matter to file the ends of round rods if a piece of 
wood with a notch cut in the top is placed in the vise, as shown 
in the cut, and the rod revolved toward you as the file is run over 
it. The file will make a steady, smooth cut, and will not chatter 
if the notch is of the right depth. This simple trick seems to be 
but little known. Usually the mechanic tries to rest the rod he 
is filing between the partly open jaws of the vise, but this makes 




Fig. 74— How to file round work 



a very unsatisfactory, chattering support, which is quite sure to 
mar the work. — 82 

VISE FOR POLISHED PIPE 

A very good way to hold pipe or rods that have a polished 
surface is to sprinkle dry plaster of Paris on heavy paper and 
roll the article to be held in the paper, taking care that there is 
plenty of the plaster between the paper and the pipe or rod. Place 
the roll between blocks of wood having a hollow face, and clamp 
firmly in an ordinary bench vise. If upon removing the paper the 
plaster is found to adhere to the pipe in hard cakes, do not try 
to scrape it off, but wash the pipe in clean water, which will loosen 



68 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

the plaster and leave the surface in a perfect condition. Another 




Fig. 75 — Vise for polished pipe 

method is to place the pipe between pieces of lead sprinkled with 
plaster, and use a pipe vise for a clamp. — 82 

THREAD CUTTING WITHOUT A DIE 

It sometimes happens that the threads of a bolt or a pipe 
break off and must be cut without the aid of a screw-cutting die. 
This can be accomplished very easily with the aid of an ordinary 
half-round file and a little patience. 

Take a block of wood and fasten it in a vise. Make a V; 
groove in the block deep enough for the center of the pipe to come 
a little below the surface. If the pipe is long, it will be better to 
make two of these blocks, so as to keep it steady. Now into this 
groove place a pipe with thread same as wanted, and on one side 
of the block drive a nail. Place the flat side of a half-round 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



<x> 




Fig. 76— Thread cutting without 
a die 



file against this nail and see 
that it forms the same angle 
with the pipe as the thread does. 
Then drive in another nail on 
the opposite side of the block, so 
that it will touch the flat side of 
the file. Now remove the pipe 
and replace with the one to be 
threaded. Hold the file with the 
smooth side against the nails 
and while filing keep turning 
the pipe. The pipe should be 
rocked backward and forward. 
That is to say, on the forward 
stroke of the file turn the 
pipe in the opposite direction, 
thereby insuring a much better 
thread. — 5 



HOW TO WIND A SPACED COIL SPRING 

When it is desired to wind a spring with the coils spaced a 
uniform distance apart, a simple method is to use a former or 
guide, made of wire which is 
as thick as the space desired, 
between the coils. The ac- 
companying cut shows how 
this is done. The guide con- 
sists of a few coils which are 
spaced the requisite distance 
apart, and one end of the wire 
projects outward tangentially. 
The spring is then wound on 
the arbor between the turns 
of the guide. As the wire is 

fed on the arbor it is crossed „. 

. f . . . . Fig. 77 — How to wind a spaced 

over the extending end of the coil spring 




JO 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




Fig. 78— A simple method for 
making a coiled spring 



guide, in the manner shown, so that it presses inward against 
the coils of the former. As the arbor is turned the guide is 
automatically fed along the arbor, and the coils of the spring are 
uniformly spaced by the coils of the former. — 51 

ANOTHER METHOD OF MAKING A COIL SPRING 
Get a metal rod the same diameter as the spring desired ; drill 

a hole near the end to admit the 
end of the wire. Give the wire 
two or three turns around rod, 
spacing the turns according to 
the desired pitch. Clamp it be- 
tween two blocks of hard wood 
in a vise, having the rod in the 
direction of the grain of the 
wood. Revolve the rod by means 
of a monkey wrench fitted on the 
flattened end of the rod. The 
wire will follow in and wind a 
spring as true and perfect as though it had been wound with a 
lathe. — 26 

HOME-MADE SPRING WINDER 
Not long ago the writer was called upon to replace a broken 
spring in a machine. It had to be done at a moment's notice, as 
the work could not be held up. The supply of springs was ex- 
hausted. The writer was given a piece of No. 60 wire, but no 
one had such a thing as a winder, so he was obliged to make one, 
and had a spring within a half hour. 

In a junk pile was found a piece of soft steel, 4 by 1^4 by ^ 
inch wide, with a y 2 -mch hole in one end. A *^-inch lag screw 
was placed in a brace, a pinhole was drilled in the gimlet end of 
the screw, then putting the screw through the hole in the steel, 
which was held in a vise, the spring was easily wound. 

This suggested the construction of the spring winder illus- 
trated herewith. A piece of soft steel, 4 by 1 *4 by % inch, forms 
the body. A y 2 -'mch shank, fitted with a chuck taking from o 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



71 



to Yi inch, was run through the hole at the top and provided with 
a crank handle. 




Fig. 79 — Home-made spring winder 

An assorted lot of lag screws serves for the open springs, and 
rods are used for the close springs and springs of oval or odd 
shapes. — 14 

SUBSTITUTE FOR ROD THREADER 

For a rod threader for quick and accurate work on.rods from 
1/16 to 3/8 inch in diameter, all one needs is a bench or black- 
smith's drill, with a three-jawed chuck. Clamp the rod to be 
threaded in the chuck of the drill. Place the die in the holder 
as usual, hold the die against the end of the rod to be threaded, 
and turn the drill at slow speed. Those who try this method 
will find it a much quicker and better way than threading by hand 
in the usual manner. 

HOW TO MAKE A SCREW AND NUT WITHOUT THE AID OF A 
SCREW-CUTTING LATHE 

When the nut and screw in the handy man's hand vise are worn 
out he can repair them as follows without using a screw-cutting 
lathe : First file the old spindle smooth. Then take two pieces of 
soft square iron, a and b, the size of the thread, and pin them to 
the spindle, as shown in Fig. 80. Now wind these iron bars 
around the spindle as tightly as possible. Under the bar b place 



72 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



a small wire c, and wind it between the spindle and the bar, there- 
by raising bar b above bar a. As the bar b is to form the thread 




Fig. So— Wrapping the spindle with soft iron 

4 




-is cc 

Fig. 81— The two threads coiled on the spindle 




Fig. 82 — The finished spindle 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



73 



in the nut, it allows for some fitting, for it is to be attached to 
the inside of the hollow cylinder. When the required length is 
wound around the spindle, the ends should be pinned to the 
spindle, thereby holding the bars securely. (See Fig. 81.) 

The inside of the cylinder should be painted with black lead. 
Now, when the screw is forced into the hollow cylinder, the black 
lead will adhere to the outside of same, and will show just where 
they touch each other. Now take the screw out and file off all 
these marks, and repeat the operation until a good bearing is 




Fig. 83 — Section showing thread in nut 



obtained all around the screw, that is to say, until the screw 
touches all around the cylinder. The threads and the hollow 
cylinder should both be marked so that the threads can be re- 
placed in exactly the same position each time. 

Now remove the two pins in bar b and insert the screw as be- 
fore, but drive it in tightly with a hammer. Then unscrew the 
spindle with the thread pinned to same (see Fig. 82) and it will 
be found that bar b has stuck to the inside of the hollow cylinder, 
as in Fig. 83. With a hack saw cut off the projecting ends. A 
couple of small pins may be driven through the cylinder and 
thread, thereby keeping the thread from shifting. Also a pin 
here and there may be put in the thread in the spindle. The 
screw and the nut must now be brazed with copper, as it is 
stronger than ordinary spelter. — 5 



74 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



SUBSTITUTES FOR A PIPE WRENCH 

The accompanying illustration represents an improvised pipe 
wrench, very simple, yet effective, one that will fit the largest or 
smallest pipe. It may be used on brass or iron pipe, without 
marking or defacing the same. 

A sling or a short piece of rope is passed around the pipe 
three or four times, as shown in the illustration, leaving a short 
loop in the middle. Into this loop is inserted a short piece of pipe 
or a stick far enough to pass the center of the pipe. The loose 
ends of the rope are held tight with one hand, while the short 




Fig. 84 — Pipe wrench which will 
not mar the pipe 



Fig. 85 — A lathe dog as a substitute 
for a pipe wrench 



piece of pipe or stick is held in the other. Now the tighter the 
loose ends are pulled, the tighter the rope will hug the pipe, 
and it will be possible to exert quite as much pressure on the 
pipe with this arrangement as with an ordinary pipe wrench, 
although this will depend largely upon the strength of the rope. 
The rope may of course be doubled or trebled, according to the 
size of pipe to be screwed home. When working on polished 
brass or steel pipes, a little resin may be put on the rope, which 
will increase the friction, or one or more turns around the pipe 
will answer the same purpose. A 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



75 



Another improvised pipe wrench consists of an ordinary lathe 
log secured to the pipe. The turning of the pipe may be done 
Iwith a monkey wrench or a short piece of pipe or a stick inserted 
|between the shank of the lathe dog and the pipe. 

In close quarters, of course, the dog will have to be opened and 
|turned on the pipe little by little. — 5 

AN IMPROVISED PIPE VISE 

Fig. 86 shows how a pipe or the like may be held in an ordin- 
ary vise while being threaded. An. ordinary pair of pipe pliers 
are used to hold the pipe and these in turn are held between the 




Fig. 86— An improvised pipe vise 

jaws of an ordinary vise. On large pipes a vise with swivel jaws 
would be preferable, but an ordinary vise will answer the pur- 
pose by putting on one end of the pliers a small rod or the like 
to conform with the angle of the pliers and the jaws of the vise. 
This, of course, is done to relieve the rivet in the pliers from un- 
necessary strain. — 5 

AN EMERGENCY PIPE VALVE 

The following may be of use to the handy man in an emergency. 
Tt is a simply-constructed pipe valve : 



;6 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Take a piece of pipe A of the required size and bore a hole B 
in it at right angles. This hole must be of the same size as the 
internal diameter of the pipe A. Take a round piece of iron or 
brass the same size as the hole B, and cut threads On one end. 
File it to a flat diamond shape at D, and file the top square for 
a wrench as at E. Put a pin through it at F, letting it project on 
both sides. Put a washer on just below the pin, and run the 




Fig. 87— An emergency pipe valve 



rod through the hole. Put on another washer on the projecting 
end, and screw a nut on it. This will answer very well in an 
emergency, and will be found very durable. — 92 

A BOILER MAKER'S TOOL BAG 

When the boiler maker gets a rush order for repairing a 
boiler he gets busy. Quickly converting his overalls into a tool 
bag, he drops in half a dozen chisels, expander, hammer, etc., 
and then he is ready for action. In making the bag he places 
the overalls full length on the floor, folds one leg up and lays it 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



77 



on the seat of the overalls, then rolls the two very tightly together, 
criss-crosses the suspenders and ties them on the part which ap- 
pears in illustration. He then puts his hand inside the leg left 
full length and grasps the roll and turns the whole thing inside 
out. This completes the bag, which is ready to receive the tools. 




Fig. 88 — How to convert a pair of overalls into a tool bag 



These, of course, come against the outside of the overalls, leav- 
ing the side that comes next to the garments as clean as ever. — 6 

A STRONG HOME-MADE TURNBUCKLE 

Requiring some small turnbuckles which would stand a sud- 
den strain, the writer hunted through the hardware stores of New 
York without success. None small enough could be obtained 
having the left and right hand bolts cast in one piece to the rings 
at their ends. A buckle with bolts made of wire threaded at one 
end and bent into a ring at the other opened the moment a load 
was applied. Those with a swivel at one end were not better, 
for in every case the riveted neck of the swivel pulled out. 

Finally the buckles were made at home. As small left-hand 



78 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



taps and dies were only to be obtained, and not promptly, from 
the factory, the following method was pursued : A dozen turn- 
buckles were required, and so two feet of ^-inch Shelby steel 
tubing, No. 13 gage, and one foot of 'j£ -inch No. 11 gage was 
bought, also one dozen j4-inch bolts and nuts, and one dozen 
% -inch nails with heads J /% inch thick. The material cost seventy- 
five cents. 

The material was cut into required lengths and each piece B 
was counterbored with a ^-inch drill to slip over the end of A. 
The head of the nail C was filed to fit the counterbore, and after 
inserting it in B, its end was flattened and a hole drilled as shown.. 
B was then riveted to A at D, using a 5/32-inch wire nail. The 
other end of A was tapped for the right-hand bolt F, the end of 




Fig. 89 — A strong home-made turnbuckle 

which was flattened and drilled like the nail C. A 5/32-inch 
hole E was drilled for a pin or nail for tightening the buckle. 

The whole twelve were made, entirely by hand, in nine hours, or 
forty-five minutes each. — 52 

A UNIVERSAL JOINT OF SIMPLE DESIGN 

Most universal joints on the market have at least a dozen dif- 
ferent parts. One which has a big sale at present has no fewer 
than seventeen distinct parts, not including the shafts or feather 
keys for adjustment. 

The. universal joint illustrated in Fig. 90, which was designed 
on account of the high price asked by some of the standard 
makers, and which has given every satisfaction for the rough 
purpose for which it was intended, has but two jaws, two pins, 
and one washer or distance piece, shown in plan and elevation on 
the right. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



79 



It will be noticed, however, that this design is imperfect, in 
that the two pins, which cross each other at right angles, are not 
in the same plane. To improve upon this, and also to reduce 




Fig. 91 — Universal joint with round pin and slot 



80 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

still more the number of parts, the writer designed a joint as 
shown in Fig. 91. A model was made and so far it seemed 
successful. 

The model was shown to a well-known engineer, who, while 
commending the idea of reducing the number of parts, pointed 




Fig. 92 — The square pin universal joint 

out the bad feature of the design, in having a round pin wearing 
on a flat surface. 

The writer tried to rectify this by having a square slotted hole 
instead of a round one, and a square shaft or pin with a round 
hole through, for the main pin. This he found would require so 
much fitting that the cost would bring it up to the standard price. 

In Fig. 92 a design is shown which has not been put to a 
practical test, but is open to criticism. The slotted round hole 
shown in Fig. 91 has been changed to a slotted square hole. 

One end of the pin is the same in diameter as the diagonal of 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



81 



the square body. The other end of the pin is the same in diameter 
as the side of the square. 

There is no reason, however, why the square body of the pin 
could not be continued to the end, and fitted into a collar or 
bushing, the inside hole of which is a square tight fit, and the 
outside a loose round fit, to enable it to revolve as the other end 
of the pin. — 3 

A SELF-LOCKING DOVETAIL JOINT 

The accompanying engraving illustrates a self-locking double 
dovetail which cannot be pulled off in either direction. On one 




Fig- 93 — The self-locking dovetail joint 

of the pieces the tenons are chamfered at the inside while the 
grooves on the other piece are formed with a correspondingly 
chamfered inner wall. The corners are joined not by forcing 
one side piece at right angles to the other, but by placing the 
side pieces within the ends of the end pieces and then bringing 
the corner joints into place by moving the side pieces diagonally 
outward. A box thus constructed cannot pull apart without first 
crushing in the sides, as this is the only direction in which the 
tenons of the side pieces may be moved out of engagement with 
those of the end pieces. — 18 




82 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

TO REPLACE A BROKEN SCREW IN SOFT METAL 

When a screw breaks off in a brass or other soft-metal plate, 

dig it out in the usual manner, and, whether the thread in the hole 

is injured or not, a screw a trifle larger can 

be quite easily fitted, without the use of a 

tap, in the following manner: Leave just 

enough of the thread intact to tap the hole. 

Harden the point of this improvised tap by 

heating it over a gas jet and dipping it in 

tap water. Now work the screw in the hole like 

a tap, and when the desired fit has been 

reached cut off the tap end, and you have a good screw left. The 

writer has fitted several screws in this way, two being in a brass 

plate over % inch thick. — 14 

THE DRIVING OF A NAIL 

The driving of a nail is deemed so simple a matter, that ina- 
bility to do the job is often spoken of as though typifying entire 
lack of mechanical ability; yet it may be that some skilled me- 
chanics have something to learn in regard to this elementary 
operation. It usually takes a woodworker's apprentice a year or 
more to learn that he doesn't know how. 

A fledgling mechanic, who spoke sneeringly of a man whom he 
heard using several blows of the hammer to drive a single nail, 
was somewhat crestfallen when told that the nail would hold 
better when driven "home" by several light taps, than when 
driven by one heavy one. 

"Why?" he asked, in surprise. 

"Because," said the other, "when you drive a nail home with 
a heavy blow, it is apt to rebound a trifle, loosening the grip of 
the wood fibers on it. Drive it almost down, if you will, with as 
hard blows as you wish, but finish the job with several light 
blows." 

One who thinks that the driving of a nail simply consists in 
getting the whole length of it out of sight, has little conception 
of the real nature of the operation. A nail driven by an expert 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



83 



will often hold several times as much as one ill driven; while, 
too, it is often made to draw the parts into place. If you have 
ever watched a mechanic driving nails, you have doubtless noted 
that he rarely drives one at right angles with the face of the 
work. There is a reason for this. Suppose that he is nailing 
the "sheeting" on the frame of a building, and desires to draw 
the board down tightly against the one below it; he points the 




Fig. 95 — Nailing a butt joint 



nail downward, and a few well-considered blows at the last pro- 
duce the desired effect. If the board is bent edgewise, so that 
much force is required, probably he will start the nail in the upper 
edge, pointing very sharply downward. Again, two nails driven 
in a board at different angles will hold it in place much more 
firmly than the same nails would if they were driven in at right 
angles with the face of the board. 



84 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Did you ever notice that, in driving a nail in very hard wood, 
one man will do it successfully, while another succeeds only in 
doubling the nail up before the point has fairly entered the wood ? 
The difference lies in the fact that the expert strikes the nail 
fairly, and not too hard, "coaxing" it in ; while the other strikes 
too hard and with indirection. It may be mentioned, right here, 
that in driving a nail into very hard wood, it is usually profitable 
to dip the end into oil or grease. This will not sensibly inter- 
fere with the holding qualities of the nail, while it will very 
materially facilitate its driving. 




Fig. 96 — Methods of clinching a nail 



In order that a nail may hold its best, it is necessary that the 
pieces it penetrates should be in close contact. A few well-judged 
taps of the hammer at the finish will serve to bring about this 
contact; while a heavy, ill-judged blow often destroys it, on 
account of the rebound. 

So, too, the direction in which a nail goes is governed, not 
merely by the direction in which it is started, but very largely 
by the shape of the point. You have doubtless noticed how a 
horseshoe nail, by having a chisel point, is made to swerve and 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



85 



to come out of the hoof but little above the shoe. By filing the 
point of a nail off on one side, it may readily be made to take 
a curved course in driving, or the same result may be attained by 
bending the point slightly with the claws of the hammer. The 
photograph, Fig. 95, shows how two boards may be secured, edge 
to edge, by nails bent in this way. 

In driving a clinch nail, there is room for the exercise of some 
skill. In Fig. 96 the central figure is that of a clinch nail driven 
down onto a hard surface, thus being driven and clinched at the 
same operation. It will be noted that it is bent in the middle, 
"crippled," thus loosened in the wood and deprived of much of its 
holding capacity. At the left and right are nails which were 
first driven through the wood, and had the points bent over after- 
ward, while a heavy hammer, or the like, was held against the 
head. The one on the left was carelessly bent, leaving a clinch 
which will straighten easily; while the one at the. right was first 
bent over a trifle at the extreme point, then hammered firmly 
down. By the latter method, it will be seen, the point is driven 
into the wood, and thus more securely held in place — 30 

TO PREVENT THE NAIL FROM SPLITTING THE WOOD 



All who have had occasion to drive a nail through a thin or 
narrow strip of wood, especially, near the end of the piece, have 
encountered the difficulty of pre- 
venting the wood from splitting, 
which will invariably occur unless 
a hole is bored, or the piece suffi- 
ciently clamped. 

Fig. 97 shows a nail prepared to 
overcome this difficulty. As can be 
readily seen, the point of nail is 
clipped off with a pair of cutting 
pliers, leaving a straight edge the 
full width of the nail. Then, by applying the nail across the 
grain of the wood, as shown, a safe drive is assured. — 56 




Fig. 97— A chisel point 

prevents wood from 

splitting 



86 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




REMEDY FOR LOOSE WOOD SCREWS 

A convenient method of mak- 
ing a loose screw hold is illus- 
trated herewith. Take a soft 
piece of copper wire, and wind it- 
around the threads cf the screw- 
as shown, thus in effect increas- 
ing the diameter of the threaded 
part. This will save plugging or 
using a larger screw. — 60 
WEATHERBOARD GAGE 
It is customary, when cutting off weatherboarding, to fit up 
against the corner strips of a frame house, to use the long square 
or carpenter's rule. The square is sometimes held along the edge 
of the weatherboard, or down the side of the corner strip. Either 
method necessitates carrying the square along, or fetching it 
from where it was laid down. 



Fig. 98— Remedy for loose 
wood screws 




Fig. 99— Gage for cutting weatherboards 



One-quarter the time can be saved, saying nothing of the con- 
venience gained, by making a little gage, as illustrated in Fig. 99, 
from a piece of board about 9 inches long and 2 inches wide, 
which can be carried in the nail or apron pocket. The notch in 
the piece is 63/2 or 7 inches in length and about 2 inches deep. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



87 



The weatherboard is held in position, the end not shown being 
set up firm against the last board in the same row, the other end 
extending beyond the corner strips. The gage is slipped over 
this end of the board, and held firmly against the inside face of 
the corner strip, while a pencil line is quickly drawn across the 
board as it is held against the gage. The saw cut is made a 
little inside the pencil mark. — 3 

A LADDER EXTENSION LEG 

A painter or any other mechanic is sometimes called upon ta 
paint or repair work which is very unhandy to reach. Perhaps 
a ladder is to be supported in some manner upon a slanting roof 
of a shed, or other 
building. Such a case 
happened very re- 
cently, when the fol- 
lowing scheme was 
adopted by a me- 
chanic with success : 

A ladder, A, was 
supported from the 
peak of the shed roof 
by means of a plate, 
B, bent in the shape 
of a hook. Two 
painter's hooks would 
do just as well. The 
plate, B, was about 8 
or 10 inches wide 
and 3 feet 6 inches 
long before being 
bent. The grip on 
the roof peak should 
not be less than 6 or 
8 inches. The 



ond or 



sec- 
working lad- 




Fig. 100 — How to support a ladder on a roof 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



der, C, was supported on the first ladder, A, by an extension 
leg, D, made of 4 by 3 timber of tough quality. The foot of 
this leg, D, was shaped as shown in detail to fit against the 
rounds of the ladder on the roof. A plate, E, furnished with a 
number of holes for a couple of U bolts, F, was screwed down 
to the leg, D. The holes were staggered, and spaced 2 l / 2 inches 
apart on each side, allowing adjustment of l% inches each way, 
to accommodate different pitch of roofs. The distance apart of 
each group of holes in the plate, E, should equal the distance 
apart of rounds of the ladder, usually 1 foot, so that the rounds 
of the ladder will bear on the U bolts, which should be drawn up 
tight when the proper adjustment has been made. 

If the extension leg were made of steel, of smaller dimension 
than the timber one, furnished with a sharp point, G, to stick in 
the shingles of the roof, the ladder, A, and hook, B, could be dis- 
pensed with. — 3 

A PAINTER'S PLATFORM BRACKET 

When painting the side of a house or a building, it is not always 
convenient to rig up a platform, supported from the eaves or 

roof. It may also be a 
one-man job, in which case 
a platform of that nature 
would be inconvenient 
anyway. 

The following contriv- 
ance has been used with 
every satisfaction. In Fig. 
10 1 is a view looking at the 
under side of the ladder, 
to show the bracket in 
use. The plank stretches 
across to a similar contriv- 
ance, attached to a second 

ladder, not shown. One 
Fig. 101 — A simple support for a 

light scaffold end of a plate is cut as 




HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 89 

shown in the detail view, and bent into the shape of a hook, to 
fit over the rounds of the ladder. Two holes are made in the 
opposite corners for the chains. The other ends of the chain are 
furnished with hooks, to reach the round of the ladder above the 
level of the platform. — 3 

PAPER HANGER'S ADJUSTABLE TEMPLET 

This handy tool will be found useful, and will save considerable 
time, in cutting wall paper up the rake of a stairway or where 




Fig. 102— Adjustable templet for paper hangers 

any ceiling slants, allowing the paper hanger to cut a number of 
lengths of paper on the paste board at once, where at present it 
is customary to cut one only at a time. 

The tool can be made of wood, and satisfaction obtained, 
although a better tool can be made from saw steel. Each blade 
is about three feet in length, two of them being furnished with 
slots, running almost the full length. Three thumbscrews, detailed 
on a larger scale, will be necessary to hold the frame together 
after the proper adjustment is obtained. The paper should be 
hung in position on the wall, and one side of the tool held along 



9 o 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



the perpendicular edge of the paper, while one of the other sides 
of the tool is adjusted to suit the angle of the stairway or slanting 
ceiling, when the screws are tightened up, and the frame perma- 
nently set. — 3 

A GOOD SUBSTITUTE FOR LEATHER BELTING 

An excellent substitute for leather belting can be made from 
a piece of ordinary fire hose, splitting it up the 
middle into two parts, i. e., two belts can be made 
from one piece of hose. The writer has seen 
this done on more than one occasion, with per- 
fect satisfaction. 

GAGE FOR AUGERS 
When boring a number of holes tq the same 
depth, it is of considerable advantage to have 
some means for marking positively the extent to 
which the bit should penetrate the wood. The 
accompanying engraving illustrates a very simple 
attachment for this purpose. It consists of a 
piece of soft iron or copper wire about 8 inches 
long, bent double and formed with a foot at the 
top end. Wind the free ends tightly about the 
auger as shown. The gage will be adjustable. 
When using be careful not to bring the foot into 
actual contact with the edge of the hole. — 33 
HOLDER FOR BROKEN SHANK DRILLS 
A convenient drill holder that may be fitted to 
an ordinary carpenter's boring brace can be made 

as follows : Take a piece of soft steel about two inches long. 

File it tapered to fit the 

brace. Bore a hole in the 

larger end to a convenient 

depth and to size of drill to 

be held. File slot in side 

and to the center of the 

holder as shown, with the 



Fig. 103— Gage 
for augers ■ 




Fig. 104 — Holder for broken shank 
drills. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



9 1 



front edge of the slot flush with the end of the drill hole. Grind 
the end of drill flat at one side as far as the center, so that when 
the drill is placed in the holder the flattened end will project 
beyond the drilled hole and engage the bottom of the slot. With 
this device broken shank drills may be utilized to advantage. — 26 

SIMPLE DRILL CLEARANCE 

When the drill pinches and squeals on drilling through pieces 
of wrought iron and copper, and is liable to twist off before you 
get the job done, why don't you s wedge it? Use a small hammer, 
and be careful not to chip the corner, as the drill is swedged cold. 





Fig. 105— A simple drill clearance 

Just touch the fluted part lightly on the emery wheel, bringing 
back a nice cutting edge and leaving the swedged corner pro- 
jecting a little. The writer has used this little wrinkle for a 
number of years, and masters those stubborn pieces with ease. — 6 
SIMPLE DRIVER FOR SMALL DRILLS 
In an emergency the writer made a drill driver as follows : A 
piece of 3/16-inch square brass wire about 10 inches long was 
slit at one end with a hack saw, as at 2. The opposite end was 
filed to a blunt point 3. About y 2 inch from this end a round 
section 4 was filed. From a piece of sheet brass a swivel 5 and 
the slide 6 were formed. The swivel was made with a socket 7 



9 2 



HANDY- MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



to receive the point. Notches 8 were filed to fit the round sec- 
tion. The slide was formed with a square hole to fit loosely on 
the wire. The lugs of the slide were slightly concaved, as shown. 
By holding one end of the wire in a vise and gripping the other 




s 3 * 



—4 



Fig. 1 06— Driver for small drills 

with a wrench, the wire was twisted. A ring and wedge, as 
illustrated, formed an effective grip for the drill. A more prac- 
tical grip might be made, as shown at 10. The two ends of this 
ring should be soldered. A slot might be filed in opposite 
sides of the twisted wire to receive the ring and prevent it from 
dropping off. This driver has done good service for nearly two 
years.— 33 

A GUIDE FOR DRILLING HORIZONTAL HOLES 
A large washer makes a good level for drills, to show whether 
the hole is being drilled horizontally. Place the washer on the 




m&: 



Fig. 107— A guide for the stock bit 



shank of the drill or bit, and then if it feeds forward or backward 
while the bit stock is being operated it indicates that the bit is 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 93 

tipped upward or downward, respectively. When the bit is held 
horizontal, the washer will remain stationary. The washer should 
be free from burrs, and the opening should preferably be turned 
true. 

DRILLING HOLES IN MARBLES 

Recently a man came to the writer and wanted a hole put 
through the center of some marbles. The accompanying sketch 
gives an idea of the way the work was accomplished. Through 
a piece of soft steel 2x3x1 inches a hole was drilled of the size 




Figs. 108 and 109 — A method of drilling holes in marbles 

of the one wanted in the marbles. Then with a countersink a 
conical aperture was made in one side as illustrated. Two tapped 
holes, one above the other, below the aperture, admitted a pair 
of thumbscrews that secured a flexible strip made from the spring 
of an eight-day clock. On the strip next to the marble which 
was seated in the conical aperture a piece of emery cloth was 
placed. The whole was then held in the vise and the marble 
was easily bored. — 14 

A HANDY TAP WRENCH 

A wrench for holding machine taps or reamers and the like 
can be easily made of a piece of flat steel and two machine screws ; 



94 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



if steel is not handy, iron can be used. Take a piece of stock of 
about }ix% inch, and cut off two lengths of 5 inches each. 
Near the end of these pieces and about 1 inch apart, drill two 



\^7 v^/ 

Fig. no — Handy tap wrench 



holes ; 34-inch tap holes in one and clearance holes in the other. 
Centrally between the holes file V-shaped grooves about 1/16 
inch deep. Tap out the holes, and assemble the parts, using 
round-head screws of j4 inch length. The ends of the wrench 
should be rounded for convenient handling. The dimensions 
herein given can of course be varied at will. Any size from the 
smallest to the largest can be made in this way. — 91 
AN EMERGENCY REAMER 
It often happens, when there is a very important piece of work 
to be gotten out, the reamer of the size you want is broken, lost 
or under size. In a case of this sort the writer worked out the 
following reamer of simple construction, which may be useful 
to others : Use a piece of drill rod the size you are to ream the 
hole, place the desired length in a speed lathe, and crown the end. 
Then grind one side at an angle of about 10 deg. Care should 
be taken not to grind below the center, as the reamer will not 
follow true with the hole if the cutting edge is below center.— 19 




Fig. in — Emergency reamer 



Fig. 112— Drill for brick walls 
and soft stone 



HOW TO DRILL THROUGH BRICK AND SOFT STONE 

The accompanying illustration represents a very good drill for 
brick walls and soft stone 



The drill is made of an ordinary gas 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



95 



pipe and the end is serrated, which can be done with an ordinary 
half-round or three-cornered file. In boring a hole, the end of 
the drill is tapped lightly with a hammer and turned slightly 
after every blow. — 5 

THE HANDY MAN'S GAGE 
The gage shown here is one of the home-made variety, that 
will work outside the limitations of the average store kind. It 




Fig. 113 — Side and plan views of the handy man's gage 



is easily and cheaply made, and will prove one of the most useful 
tools in the workshop. 



96 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The body is of cast iron, 4 inches high and 2^/2 inches along 
the base at the sides. The base is % i ncn thick, and the sides 
3/16 inch, and both sides and base are machined, so that they are 



j$n 











m^w 




Fig. 114 — Various uses of the gage. 



square with each other; the body thus forms a handy squaring 
tool in itself. The scribers are 6 inches long, and are secured 
in position by passing them through split washers clamped 
together with a milled nut, as shown in the detail view. The 
hole at the bottom of the slots facilitates the removal of the 
scribers. 

It will be seen by looking at Fig. 114 that the scope of this gage 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



97 



is wider than most of those of the so-called universal type. It 
can be used as either a height or depth gage, giving two meas- 
urements in each case, or for height and depth at the same 
time. It is also an 
adjustable mortise 
gage, and can be used 
as a pair of dividers, 
as inside or outside 
calipers, and for a 
hundred other pur- 
poses that will readily 
suggest themselves to 
workers in wood and 
metal.— 68 

GRINDER AND HOLD 
FOR SMALL TOOLS 

The writer was re- 
cently in need of a 
hollow tool handle 
with a three- jawed 
chuck that would 
take from o to f/s, but 
was unable to find 
one, although there 
are many kinds of 
tool-holders on the 
market. The effort to 
find a small grinder 
for awls, needles, etc., 
was vain. The fol- 
lowing explains how 
the tools were made with an outlay of but 50 cents and a little 
labor. In a pawn shop a hand drill was found with a chuck of 
the desired type. This was bought for 25 cents. The handle 
and the chuck were removed from the drill, and put together to 




Figs. 115 and 116— Grinder and holder for 
small tools 



9 8 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



form the desired tool-holder. Then for 25 cents a circular oilstone, 
2 inches in diameter by y 2 inch thick, was bought. This was at- 
tached to the spindle of the drill, while the opposite end was 
squared, so that it could be held in a vise, as shown in Fig. 116. 
The grinder is used for awls, needles, etc., and the holder for 
the smallest of pins, awls, taps and the like. — 14 

DEVICE FOR PUNCHING HOLES IN SAW BLADES, CLOCK 
SPRINGS, ETC. 

The device shown in side and end elevation at A and B respect- 



1 



\Pimc7t A. 



ScorJeerf 



styaarvd? 



1 




Centre of punjchfflctfm rest 
should coi?zvide with centre 
ofW/ieel. 




Fig. 117 — Method of punching holes in saw blades, etc. 



ively, is made from any old piece of iron or steel, the latter being 
preferable, as it can be tempered after it is made. The writer is 
at present using one made of a piece of ^-inch square iron some 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 99 

3 inches long, which has a hole (the same size as the hole to be 
punched) drilled through it near one end. After drilling the hole 
cut down with a hack saw as far past the hole as will clear the 
material to be punched, care being taken that the hole is at right 
angles to the saw kerf. For a punch use the broken shank of a 
twist drill of the same size as the hole. This makes a very effi- 
cient punch, and the face of the punch is improved by carefully 
grinding it on a small 3^ -inch diameter emery wheel in the 
manner shown at C; as by this means the face of the punch is 
slightly hollowed, and its shearing effect is increased. 

The application of the device in punching a hack-saw blade is 
illustrated at D. This simple apparatus if properly made will do 
excellent work on saw blades and springs. The writer has in 
this way punched a 5/32-inch hole through the blade of a Disston 
rip saw without distorting the blade or raising a burr around the 
edges of hole. One can easily make several of these in different 
sizes, but for hack-saw blades 5/32 inch is a suitable size. It is 
of course imperative that the punch be a good fit in the hole. The 
application of a somewhat heavy hand hammer is effective.— 25 
DEVICE FOR SAWING HOLES IN METAL 

A large hole may be formed in metal by sawing instead of 
drilling. The tool is made of a piece of clock spring, cutting out 
the part, with the shears, that is already coiled, to about the size 
needed. A broad spring gives a better chance for attaching to 
the piece of hickory, which* you have already turned with a little 
shoulder to back up the blade. Drill about six or seven holes in 
the clock spring, and attach with wood screws. Put a ^-inch 
center pin in the cutter end of the wood, and drive in a square 
shank at the other end for attaching an ordinary carpenter's brace. 
Holes can be easily drilled in the clock spring by hardening a 
small flat drill in soldering acid. Heat the drill dull red hot, and 
temper. It does not require drawing. Soldering acid is made 
by dissolving small crumbs of zinc in muriatic acid. Put in zinc 
until acid refuses to act. It is then saturated. File the teeth in 
clock spring, which should be swedged with a small hammer to 



IOO HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

make clearance, then refiled. The writer cut two holes for \V 2 - 




Fig. 118 — Method of sawing holes in metal 

inch pipe tap through cast iron y% inch thick in a gas engine bed 
in forty minutes with an ordinary carpenter's brace to revolve 

the cutter, after a hole had 
been drilled for the center 
pin to follow. This tool will 
do larger work more easily 
than will a ratchet drill if 
not much thickness of 
metal is to be cut through. 
—6 

DEVICE FOR FINDING 
CENTERSOF ROUND WORK 
This little device if care- 
fully made will enable one 
to accurately determine the 
centers of round bars, 
disks, and in fact any ob- 
ject of a circular form. A 

Fig. 119-Device for finding centers P ieCe of 3/l6-inch square 

of round work brass rod about 8 inches 




HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



IOI 



long is bent to form approximately a right angle, both legs 
being of equal length. A strip of brass, A, about }i inch wide 
and 1/16 inch thick is soldered to the ends of the legs. 
Equidistant between points X Y make a mark b. Another brass 
strip B of same size as A is soldered in place as shown, being 
careful to have edge C exactly on the line b and over the angle D. 
Fig. 119 shows method of using the device. Simply place it on 
the end of the bar or shaft; make a mark with a scratch awl; 
give a quarter turn, and make another mark. The intersection of 
the lines will give the exact center. — 86 

HANDY METHOD OF FINDING THE CENTER OF A SHAFT 

In Fig. 120 the circle represents a 
section of a shaft, the center of which 
it is desired to find. The corner of 
a square is placed on any point of the 
circumference. The points A and B 
are the intersections of the outer sides 
of the square with the circumference. 
Draw a line from A to B. Now shift 
the square a little, as represented by 
the dotted square, and with the cor- 
ner on any other point mark the 
intersections A' and B' , then con- 
nect A' and B' , and the intersection 
of AB and A' B' will be the re- 
quired center. It is necessarily the 
center, for it is the intersection of 
the two diameters. — 74 

HOW TO SUPPORT A SHAFT WHEN BABBITTING 

This is a suggestion for the simplification of the babbitting of 
crankshaft boxes, which has been used a number of times with 
entire satisfaction. Drill two holes about ^4 mcn from the out- 
side end of the box and in about the position illustrated. Tap 
the holes for small screws. Let the shaft rest on the head of 
these screws, which may be adjusted until the shaft is lined up. 




Fig. 120— Method of finding 
center of a circle 



102 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



After lining the shaft it may be taken out of the box and warmed 
before pouring the babbitt, preventing the metal from 



being 



chilled and forming an uneven surface. The shaft may be 
replaced while warm and the babbitt poured at once, the screws 
insuring a perfect line-up. The screws may be removed with a 




Fig. 121 — How to support a shaft 
when babbitting 



Fig. 122 — Old glue pot as a metal 
pot and ladle 



screwdriver when the babbitt has been poured, or they may be 
left in if brass screws are used. — 44 

OLD GLUE POT AS A METAL POT AND LADLE 

A very handy metal pot for which no ladle is needed may be 
made by taking the outer part of a glue pot, and drilling a hole 
near the top, which is to be tapped to receive the threaded end of 
a piece of y% or ^J-inch gas pipe. The opposite end of the pipe 
should be beveled to form a convenient spout. 

With this device bearings may be babbitted which would be 
very difficult to get at with an ordinary ladle. The pipe forms a 
handle which may be seized with the pliers when pouring the 
metal. To preserve its usefulness as a glue pot, insert a cork or 
wooden plug in the end of the gas pipe. — 82 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



103 



A HOME-MADE MICROMETER 

Get a common iron or brass bolt about ]/\ of an inch in diam- 
eter and about zy 2 inches long, with as fine a thread as possible, 
and the thread cut to within a short distance of the head of the 
bolt. A bolt with a cut in the head for a screw-driver should 
be used. Clamp together two blocks of wood with square corners 
about 1 inch wide, % of an inch thick, and 2.V2 inches long, with 
their narrower faces in contact (the width of the clamped blocks 
being 2 inches), and bore a Y^-mob. h°l e through the center of 
the blocks in the 2-inch direction. Now remove the clamp, and 




Fig. 123— A home-made micrometer 



let the nut of the bolt into one of the blocks so that its hole will 
be continuous with the hole in the wood, then glue the blocks 
together with the nut between them. Cut out a piece from the 
block combination, leaving it shaped somewhat like a bench, and 
glue the bottoms of the legs to a piece of thin board about 2^/2 
inches square for a support. Solder one end of a stiff wire about 
2 inches long to the head of the bolt at right angles to the shaft, 
and fix a disk of heavy pasteboard with a radius equal to the 
length of the wire,, and with its circumference graduated into 
equal spaces, to serve in measuring revolutions and parts of 



104 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



revolutions of the end of the wire, to the top of the bench ; put 
the bolt in the hole, screwing it through the nut, and the con- 
struction is complete. 

The base is improved for the measuring work by gluing to a 
central section of it, covering the place where the end of the bolt 
meets it, a small piece of stiff metal ; and it is convenient to have 
the graduated disk capable of rotating, so that its zero line may 
be made to coincide with the wire. 

Find the number of threads of the screw to the inch by placing 
the bolt on a measuring rule, and counting the threads in an inch 
or half an inch of its length. The bolt in making one revolution 
will descend a distance equal to the distance between the threads. 

To use the apparatus, put the object whose thickness is to be 
measured on the base under the bolt, and screw the bolt down 
until its end just touches the object, then remove the object and 
screw the bolt down until its end just touches the base, carefully 
noting while doing so the distance that the end of the wire moves 
over the scale. The part of a rotation of the bolt, or the number 
of rotations with any additional parts of a rotation added, divided 
by the number of threads to the inch, will be the thickness of the 
object. Quite accurate measurements may be made with this 
instrument, and in the absence of the expensive micrometer, it 
serves a very useful purpose. — 101 

AN IMPROVED DOWEL PLATE 

The chief fault with the ordinary dowel plate is the naturally 
obtuse cutting angle, formed by the edges of a hole bored in a 
flat steel plate. The dowel plate here illustrated presents to the 
wood an acute cutting angle, and also admits of being sharp- 
ened. Obtain a leaf of a buggy spring which has on its convex 

side surrounding the two 
holes a raised portion or 
boss. Soften the spring, and 
cut out the part required, 
leaving enough metal on 
Fig. 124— An improved dowel plate either side of the hole to ad- 




HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



105 



mit of its being drilled for screw holes. Run a twist drill through 
the hole with the raised lip, to make it of a standard size, and 
smooth the interior. After drilling, file the edges of the lip until 
quite sharp, screw the plate down to a suitable block of hard 
wood, and bore through it with the same twist drill. The plate 
is then complete. A mallet must be used for driving the dowels 
through the plate, so as not to injure the cutting edges. — 25 

THE TURNING OF A BALL 

How to turn a true 
wooden ball is apt to puz- 
zle the amateur; but this, 
like most other mechani- 
cal methods, is very "sim- 
ple after you know how." 
True, all balls for which 
there is sufficient demand 
are now turned by auto- 
matic machinery, much 
more cheaply than they 
could be turned by hand; 
but the job is a pleasing Fig. 125-The roughly turned ball 





Fig. 126 — Ready for finishing cut 



one, and well worth doing 
for its own sake. 

If one has a lathe with 
a face plate, no other 
equipment, except the usual 
chisels, is necessary. 

The block is first placed 
between the usual centers, 
turned as nearly spherical 
as may be, and the ends 
sawed off. A piece of hard 
wood of sufficient size is 
next screwed onto the face 



io6 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




Fig. 127 — Finishing cut partly 
completed 



plate and turned into a cup-shaped chuck, as shown, together 
with the roughly-turned blank in Fig. 125. The blank is next 

pressed into this chuck, as 
shown in Fig. 126. If the 
chuck is turned out to such 
a size that the blank will go 
in just a little less than half 
way, it will stay without 
trouble. Then, using a com- 
mon chisel and making a 
scraping cut, the blank is 
worked down to the marks of 
the first cut, to which this one 
is at right angles. In order 
that one may see better how 
the work is progressing, 
without stopping the lathe, it 
is well to mark the blank heavily around the middle with a soft 
lead pencil. Fig. 127 shows this cut nearly complete. 

The blank is next 
reversed, and the 
same cut made on the 
other side. If special 
accuracy is required, 
it may be well to re- 
peat the operation 
several times ; and it 
is always advisable to 
start with the chuck 
block thick enough, 
so that it may be cut 
back and the hole 
trued up for each suc- 
ceeding operation. In 
sandpapering, if the hole is of just the right size, one can change 
the position of the ball without stopping the lathe. — 30 




Fig. 128— The finished ball 



CHAPTER III. 

THE SOLDERING OF METALS AND THE PREPA- 
RATION OF SOLDERS AND SOLDERING 
AGENTS 

The object of soldering is to unite two portions of the same 
metal or of .different metals by means of a more fusible metal or 
metallic alloy, applied when melted, and known by the name of 
solder. As the strength of the soldering depends on the nature 
of the solder used, the degree of strength required for the joint 
must be kept in view in choosing a solder. The parts to be joined 
must be free from oxide and thoroughly clean ; this can be secured 
by filing, scouring, scraping, or pickling with acids. Tha edges 
must exactly fit, and be heated to the melting-point of the solder. 
The latter must have a lower melting-point than either of the por- 
tions of metal that require to be joined, and if possible only those 
metals should be chosen for solder which form alloys with them. 
The solder should also as far as possible have the same color and 
approximately the same strength as the article whose edges are to 
be united. 

To remove. the layers of oxide which form during the process 
of soldering, various so-called "fluxes" are employed. These 
fluxes are melted and applied to the joint, and act partly to keep 
off the air, thus preventing oxidation, and partly reduce and 
dissolve the oxides themselves. The choice of a flux depends on 
the quantity of heat required for soldering. 

Solders are classed as soft and hard solders. Soft solders, 
also called tin solders or white solders, consist of soft, readily fusi- 
ble metals or alloys, and do not .possess much strength ; they are 
easy to handle on account of their great fusibility. Tin, lead-tin, 
and alloys of tin, lead, and bismuth are used for soft solders, pure 



108 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

tin being employed only for articles made of the same metal (pure 
tin). 

The addition of some lead makes the solder less fusible but 
cheaper, while that of bismuth lowers the melting-point. Soft 
solders are used for soldering easily fusible metals such as Britan- 
nia metal, etc., also for soldering tin-plate. To prepare solder, 
the metals are melted together in a graphite crucible at as low a 
temperature as possible, well stirred with an iron rod, and cast 
into ingots in an iron mold. To melt the solder when required for 
soldering, the soldering iron is used ; the latter should be kept as 
free from oxidation as possible, and the part applied should be 
tinned over. 

The fluxes generally used in the soft-soldering of metals are 
powdered rosin or a solution of chloride of zinc, alone or com- 
bined with sal-ammoniac. A neutral soldering liquid can be pre- 
pared by mixing 27 parts neutral zinc chloride, 11 parts sal-am- 
moniac and 62 parts water, or 1 part sugar of milk, 1 part glycer- 
ine, and 8 parts water. 

A soldering fat for tin-plate, preferable to ordinary rosin, as it 
can be more easily removed after soldering, is prepared as fol- 
lows : 150 parts beef-tallow, 250 parts rosin, and 150 parts olive 
oil are melted together in a crucible and well stirred, 50 parts 
powdered sal-ammoniac dissolved in as little water as possible 
being added. 

Soldering fat for iron is composed of 50 parts olive oil and 
50 parts powdered sal-ammoniac. Soldering fat for aluminium 
is made by melting together equal parts of rosin and tallow, half 
the quantity of zinc chloride being added to the mixture. 

Soldering paste consists of neutral soldering liquid thickened 
with starch paste. This paste must be applied more lightly 
than the soldering liquid. 

Soldering salt is prepared by mixing equal parts of neutral 
zinc chloride, free from iron, and powdered sal-ammoniac. When 
required for use, I part of the salt should be dissolved in 3 or 
4 parts water. 

Borax is the flux most frequently used for hard-soldering; it 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY IO9 

should be applied to the soldering seam either dry or stirred to 
a paste with water. It is advisable to use calcined borax, i. e., 
borax from which the water of crystallization has been driven out 
by heat, as it does not become so inflated as ordinary borax. 
Borax dissolves the' metallic oxides forming on the joint. 

Finely-powdered cryolite or a mixture of 2 parts powdered 
cryolite and I part phosphoric acid is also used for hard-soldering 
copper and copper alloys. 

Muller's hard-soldering liquid consists of equal parts of phos- 
phoric acid and alcohol (80 per cent). 

A mixture of equal parts of cryolite and barium chloride is 
used as a flux in hard-soldering aluminium bronze. 

A flux used in soldering iron with cast iron is composed of 
equal parts of cast-iron filings and calcined borax. This black, 
glassy mixture is pulverized, and the powder spread on the seam. 

It only remains to mention the so-called cold-soldering, in 
reality a joining of the edges by means of a copper amalgam. 
The parts to be joined are well cleaned, and a substance made 
by triturating 1 part of metallic sodium with 50 to 60 parts of 
mercury rubbed in. This substance may to some extent be used 
for the same purpose as soldering fluid, as it causes the firm ad- 
hesion of the copper amalgam employed as solder. 

To make copper amalgam, dissolve copper sulphate in water 
and add some zinc-plate chips. A fine powder consisting of pure 
copper is deposited, which should be filtered off, washed, and 
triturated in a heated porcelain bowl with a double quantity by 
weight of mercury. The amalgam, which resembles 18-carat 
gold in color, is formed into little pellets or bars, which are made 
soft by heating when required for use. 

SOLDERING APPARATUS 

The chloride of zinc solution used in soldering is prepared by 
cutting zinc in muriatic acid to repletion and diluting it with an 
equal quantity of water. For iron, a small quantity of sal-am- 
moniac may be added. For large work, where spelter is used, it 
is powdered and mixed with pulverized borax. The mixture is 
made into a thick paste with water and applied with a brush. 



no 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Soft solders are fused with a copper or blow-pipe after the ap- 
plication of the appropriate flux. 

While the work and the solder fluid are still hot, any surplus 
fluid may be nicely removed with a moist brush. A mat-joint may 
be made between closely-fitting surfaces by placing a piece of tin- 
foil between the parts, and fusing in a plain or blow-pipe flame. 

For small work spelter and silver solders are fused by means 
of the blow-pipe ; the work being laid upon a charcoal or piece 
of pumice-stone. It is often desirable to flank the work with an 
additional piece of charcoal, to economize all the heat of the 
flame, as well as that resulting from the combustion of the coal. 




Fig. 129 — Anchoring work to be 
soldered 



Fig. 130 — Incasing the work 



If the work is of such a character that it is inconvenient to clasp 
or rivet it together, or even to wire it, it may be kept in place 
upon the coal or pumice-stone by means of tacks forced in at 
points where they will be effectual in holding the work. When 
tacks are unavailable, parts may be held by wire loops and stays. 
(See Fig. 129.) 

If part of the work has been already done, and it is desired 
to unite several pieces, having parts which have been previously 
soldered, in close proximity, these parts may be held in any po- 
sition, and at the same time the joints already soldered may be 
prevented from melting by incasing the work in the following 
manner. (See Fig. 130.) 

Take equal parts of plaster-of-Paris and fine, sharp sand ; 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



III 



add a sufficient quantity of water to make a thick batter, and 
imbed the work in it, leaving the entire joint to be soldered and 
the adjacent parts exposed. Care must be taken to not get the 
plaster in the joint, as that would prevent the solder flowing. 

It is difficult to hold all the various parts which are to be united 
so as to apply the plaster. The parts may be put into position one 
by one, and fastened temporarily by means of a drop of wax, 
which, when the work is incased and the plaster sets, may be 
readily melted out and the flux and solder applied. In every case 




Fig. 131 — Soldering flame 



where it is possible, the flux should be well brushed into the 
joints before placing the work on its support. A convenient 
way of preparing flux for small work is to rub a piece of borax 
about, with a few drops of water, on a porcelain slab or common 
slate until it appears like paste; this should be applied to the 
work with a camel's hair pencil. Small pieces of solder are 
dipped into the borax paste and put on the joints of the work. A 
pair of tweezers will be found convenient for this. 

When the job is incased as in Fig. 130 it may be placed in a 
common fire until it has nearly attained a red heat, when it will 
be found that on applying the blow-pipe the solder will readily 
flow with little expenditure of time and breath. 

Just here, perhaps, it is well to notice the action and use of the 
blow-pipe and the structure of the blow-pipe flame. 



112 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

When a jet of air from a blow-pipe is directed into a gas or 
alcohol flame the form of the flame is changed to a slender cone, 
having at two points characteristics which differ widely. There 
is a slender internal pencil, having a fine blue color, which is 
known as the reducing flame, shown in Fig. 131, and an external 
flame enveloping the blue pencil, having a more indefinite form 
and a brownish color. This is the oxidizing flame. A piece of 
metal — tin, for example — placed at the apex of the outer or oxi- 
dizing flame is rapidly oxidized, while the same piece placed 
at the point of the internal or reducing flame immediately assumes 
a globular form and has the brilliant surface of clean melted 
metal. 

The rationale of this is that at the extremity of the oxidizing 
flame there is intensely heated oxygen in condition to unite with 
anything oxidizable ; while at or just beyond the inner or reduc- 
ing cone are unburnt gases having a high temperature and a 
strong affinity for oxygen, and consequently any oxide placed at 
this point will be deprived of its oxygen and reduced to a metal- 
lic state. 

From this the conclusion will be readily arrived at that the 
proper point in the blow-pipe flame to effect the fusion of solder 
is just beyond the apex of the reducing flame. 

To produce a uniform continuous jet with the ordinary blow- 
pipe is an attainment which, to some, is most difficult. It is 
very easy to state that it is only necessary to cause the mouth 
to maintain the jet at the instant of inspiration, but it is quite 
another thing to do it. The blowing, in light work, should, 
for the most part, be done with the mouth alone. It must be 
made to act the part of a pump or bellows, receiving its air 
supply from the lungs, but forcing its contents through the 
blow-pipe, principally by the action of the tongue. Let the 
tyro close his lips tightly, and with his tongue alone, inde- 
pendently of his lungs, force air into his mouth until his cheeks 
are distended to their fullest extent. 

This done, and all is learned; for it is now only necessary to 
place the blow-pipe in the mouth and continue the action of 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



113 



the tongue, when it will be found that a continuous blast may 
be maintained without difficulty, and the lungs may be used or 
not at pleasure. Let it not be understood from the foregoing 
that the cheeks are to be puffed out while blowing. This is not 
advisable. 

Often, even to those who are accustomed to the use of the 
blow-pipe, protracted operations are tiresome. In view of this, 
although a number of de- 
vices have been brought 
out for producing a con- 
tinuous blast, the one 
shown in Fig. 132 is sug- 
gested. It consists essen- 
tially in a gasometer of 
small dimensions, having a 
small pipe which reaches 
above the water inside and 
terminates in a nipple. 
There is a valve in the top, 
shown in Fig. 132, which 
consists in a flap of leather, 
very thin rubber, or oiled 
silk, placed under holes in 
the top and retained by 
springs. A weight is 
placed upon the top to give 
the requisite pressure. A 
rope attached to an eye in 
the top passes over a pul- 
ley in the ceiling — or, if the apparatus is put in the cellar, sim- 
ply passes up through the floor. The operation is obvious. 
The upper portion of the gasometer is raised by means of the 
rope; air passes into the valve in the top and is retained; it 
passes out through a nipple and thence through the rubber tube 
attached to a blow-pipe of any construction. 

A gasometer of this sort, the upper portion of which is 12^4 




Fig. 132 — Continuous blast apparatus 



ii4 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



inches in diameter and 18 inches high — fitting into a lower ves- 
sel having a diameter y 2 inch greater, and the same height — 
with a valve in the top covering thirty or forty Y\ -inch holes, 
and weighted with 25 or 30 pounds, will give a strong blast for 
twenty or thirty minutes. It is readily recharged with air. The 
supply to the blow-pipe is regulated by means of a cock. 

A blow-pipe of peculiar 
construction, shown in Fig. 
133, has some qualities which 
recommend it for soldering, 
and also for other blow-pipe 
operations. 

This blow-pipe is in fact a 
modification of the annular 
compound blow-pipe. A pipe 
which is attached by means 
of a pivoted connection to a 
standard is turned in a right- 
angled elbow at its outer ex- 
tremity, and is fixed to a short 
=7. sleeve, which is somewhat 
contracted at its outer end. 
The slide is provided with a 
spring-gib, to insure a certain 
amount of friction on the pipe, and a set-screw to fix it at any 
point. This slide supports the air-tube and the ball. The sleeve 
and air-pipe are axially in line, so that when the nozzle is moved 
into the sleeve their apertures are truly concentric, and when in 
the position shown the larger part of the nozzle should fit the 
sleeve tightly. 

The ball collects the moisture, the air passing down the tube 
and upward through the passage. 

The best size for the air-pit for all purposes is 1/48 inch. 
The annular space for the exit of gas around the air-nozzle 
should not be more than 1/100 inch in breadth. Gas is sup- 
plied through the tube and air through the tube. 




Fig. 133— Blovvpipe 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY II5 

When the parts are in the position shown, with the air and 
gas supply in proper proportion, a fine blue pencil from y^ to 
3 inches or more in length is produced. By sliding the air nozzle, 
back and using a strong blast, an intense solid flame is pro- 
duced capable of doing all that can be reasonably required. 

This blow-pipe when connected with the apparatus shown in 
Fig. 132 seems to answer all the requirements for any purpose 
whatever. The weight on the gasometer may be reduced, when 
the gasometer may be filled with oxygen, and the operator will 
enjoy all the benefits of an oxyhydrogen jet, producing the lime- 
light, fusing refractory substances, and performing any of the 
brilliant experiments consequent to the use of a compound blow- 
pipe. 

An instrument of this kind, when used for soldering, permits 
the use of both hands, which is a matter of no small moment. 

Work that is too large to be readily soldered by the means 
already noticed may be done in a charcoal or coke fire with a 
blast. Even a common fire of coal or wood may often be made 
to answer the purpose. 

Brazing or hard-soldering of any kind must not be tried in 
a fire, or with coals, or tools which have the least trace of soft 
solder or lead about them. Neither must the brazing of work 
which has been previously soft-soldered be attempted. A neglect 
of these cautions insures failure. 

A wash of clay applied to surfaces which are not to be jointed 
prevents the flow of solder. 

The vitrified flux may be readily removed by boiling the articles 
for a few moments in dilute sulphuric acid. This is best done 
in a copper vessel. — 37 

A HEATER FOR SOLDERING IRONS 

The accompanying illustration shows a very simple heater for 
soldering irons, which can be made either stationary or portable. 
That is to say, it can be attached to the gas pipe in the shop, or 
it may be provided with an attachment for a rubber hose, so it 
can be moved about in different places. 



n6 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The heater is mounted on a suitable base and made up of 
ordinary pipe fittings. A tee is attached at the lower part thereof, 
where the connection for the rubber hose is made. To the upper 
end of the standard a tee is fitted, to one side of which the 
heater is connected, and to the other an ordinary Bunsen burner. 
On either side of the tee is secured a small stopcock for regu- 
lating the supply of gas. These stopcocks have at their outer 
ends a small opening about 1/16 inch diameter, which will of 
course vary, according to the local gas pressure. Into one of 




Fig. 134 — Gas heater for soldering irons 



these stopcocks is screwed a nipple perforated with one or more 
rows of ^-inch holes. At the base are two or more larger holes 
covered with a sliding sleeve for regulation of the air. By mov- 
ing this sleeve more or less air may be admitted, until a blue 
flame is obtained. At the outer end of the nipple is screwed an 
ordinary cap. The Bunsen burner at the opposite side may be 
made of ordinary gas pipe, with holes and sleeve for the regula- 
tion of the air supply. 

The stand or rest consists of a suitable base, into which is 
fastened an ordinary gas pipe with a set-screw at its upper end. 
Into this pipe slides another, somewhat smaller, to which is 
screwed an ordinary cap. To this cap is secured a flat piece of 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY \\J 

iron, bent in a half circle, the ends being matched to provide a 
rest for the soldering iron. It will now be seen that by raising 
and lowering this inside tube, it can be held at any suitable dis- 
tance from the heater by the set-screw. After the heater is 
lighted, it will only take a few minutes to heat the iron, as the 
flames burn directly under and the entire length of the same. 

The Bunsen burner is used for heating large and solid pieces 
to be soldered. — 5 

HINTS ON .SOLDERING 

1. Do not buy small and cheap soldering irons, as they are not 
made of copper, but worthless compositions. Get an ordinary 
iron weighing about 3 or 4 pounds. 

2. The whole pointed end of the iron must be tinned, and 
kept so, as no soldering can be done without it. 

3. Always clean the iron after each heating before any at- 
tempt to solder is made. 

4. Never make the iron" "red hot," or so hot that the solder 
burns off. 

5. Always clean the surfaces to be soldered, and put on 
flux. 

6. Never remove the iron from the parts to be soldered until 
the solder runs like mercury and fairly boils. 

7. Large and solid pieces to be soldered should first be heated, 
and kept hot while soldering. 

8. Always pick up the solder from the bar with the iron ; 
that is to say, touch the bar of solder with the hot and clean 
iron ; a certain' amount will adhere thereto. 

9. Cast iron should first be filed or cleaned with emery cloth, 
then rubbed with a soft piece of brass. The brass will adhere to 
the cast iron, and the solder will stick to same very readily. 

10. Always remember that solder will only adhere to clean 
metals coated with flux. 

Use any kind of solder, preferably half and half, on almost any 
kind of work, either in bars or in strings. 

The flux used may be of any kind on the market, but an old and 



Il8 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

reliable one that the writer has used for many years is made as 
follows : Into an earthenware cup pour some commercial muri- 
atic acid, into which put small pieces of scrap zinc. Let one piece 
dissolve or nearly so before another is put in, as otherwise the acid 
gets very hot, and is liable to break the jar. Always put more in 
than the acid will dissolve. Then let it stand for twenty-four 
hours. Now pour half of this into a small bottle with a wide 
mouth, and dilute with some water. Use this as a flux, to be ap- 
plied with a stick or small brush. What remains in the jar is used 
to clean the iron, after each heating, by dipping the whole pointed 
end thereof into the liquid. This flux may be used on almost any 
metal except aluminium, zinc or galvanized iron. For the two 
last named the commercial acid should be used. 

The tinning of the iron is done as follows : Heat the iron to 
a dark brown color. Then file the point on all four sides and dip 
the same into the jar. Then on a small piece of wood or tin melt 
some solder from the bar, and rub all sides of the pointed iron. 
Then dip again into the flux, and it will be noticed that if the 
iron was clean the solder will adhere to the same, "tinning" 
the iron. This operation should be done very quickly, so that 
the iron does not cool off. The iron should be treated like 
this from time to time, as the copper deteriorates and the tin 
burns off, but should not be heated to this high temperature unless 
it is to be retinned. 

The solder is picked up by the iron by simply touching the bar 
of solder, holding the iron in an inclined position, so that the 
lower side of the tinned end of the iron will be horizontal. Re- 
move the iron in this position to the object to be soldered, and 
then incline the handle a little more to let the solder run to the 
point and drop off. 

A good way to ascertain if the iron is hot enough for solder- 
ing is to take it off the stand and place it about two inches from 
the face. In this manner the amateur will soon be able to tell 
whether it is hot enough to begin soldering. 

Nov/ take a piece of tin (iron or steel base tinned on each side) 
with a small hole in it and try to solder it. We will assume that 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY IIQ, 

the amateur has complied with all the foregoing rules ; that is to 
say, that the piece of tin is cleaned and flux put on where the 
soldering is to take place, the iron cleaned, and a sufficient quantity 
of solder picked up and transferred to the tin. The iron is now 
elevated, causing the solder to drop on the tin ; then touch the 
same with the iron. If the iron is hot enough it will melt the 
solder, causing it to run through the hole, no matter how small, 
and form a lump on the other side of the tin. If the iron is not 
hot enough, the solder will only stick a little to the surface, and 
may easily be picked off. Now, to make a good job, try to 
strike a happy medium. Le't some of the solder run through the 
hole and mix with the tin. The remaining solder on top may be 
left there, or wiped off with cotton waste or a greasy rag. 

Therefore, always have the iron as hot as possible, and keep it 
on the object to be soldered long enough to< thoroughly heat it to 
the same temperature as the iron, so that the solder will run like 
mercury; and if the object is thoroughly clean, the solder will 
stick. Rosin as a flux is used extensively on tin. 

A granite pan With a hole in it can be soldered in the same 
way. First remove the granite or agate around the hole, about 
Y% inch all around, either on one or both sides. This is best done 
with the end of a small file. The iron or steel base should be 
scraped until a metallic surface appears. Put flux on both sides, 
and hold a greased rag on one side to prevent the solder from 
running off. Then proceed as before described. 

If pewter, tin, or other soft metals are to be soldered, it re- 
quires a little more practice, when sometimes only a touch of the 
iron will destroy the article. 

In soldering large flat or round pieces together, the surfaces 
should always be tinned first. This can be done either with the 
iron or by heating over the Bunsen burner until the solder, dipped 
in flux, melts ; then wipe off with a rag. The pieces are now held 
or clamped together and heated again, so that the solder melts 
and runs. More solder may be added as before described. This 
is generally called "sweating." 

After the soldering is done' the flux should be wiped off with 



120 , HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

a rag and then washed off with some soda water, to prevent the 
corrosion of the metal. — 5 

HOME-MADE GAS SOLDERING IRON MADE OF PIPE FITTINGS 

A gas soldering iron may be easily made as follows : 
A piece of ^-inch gas pipe A, 9 inches long, is threaded at 
both ends. A l /% by ^g-inch reducer B is then screwed on each 
end of the pipe, and 1/16-inch holes are bored through the re- 
ducers, as shown at C. A piece of ^-inch gas pipe D is threaded 
on one end. A small brass plug E, having a 1/16-inch hole 
through the center, is fastened into the threaded end of the pipe 
D, and the latter is then screwed into the reducer B. A piece of 
copper F, y§ inch in diameter and 4 inches long, is threaded on 
one end and screwed into the other reducer B. The opposite 
end of the copper can be either round, flat, or pointed, as de- 



Fig- !35 — Gas soldering iron 

sired. A piece of tubing G, 33^ inches long and large enough in 
diameter to snugly fit the outside of the reducer, is fastened to it, 
either by screws or by nicks made with a center punch. The 
rubber hose H . is slipped over the pipe D. The hose can be 
protected by a spring made of No. 16 B. & S. wire. This will 
prevent kinking of the hose when the iron is in use. 

The pipe A is covered with asbestos or some other poor con- 
ductor of heat / to form the handle. The action of the iron is as 
follows : The gas enters at the pipe A through the hole in the 
plug E, and mixes with the air that enters through the holes C. 
The mixture passes out through the holes C in the reducer at the 
opposite end, where it is to be ignited. The flame is deflected 
against the iron F by the shield G. This makes a very efficient 
iron that will solder continuously. — 12 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



121 



HOME-MADE BLOWPIPE 

The blowpipe shown in the accompanying illustration will he 
found a very useful adjunct to any mechanic's workshop. For 
tempering tools, heating soldering irons, brazing, and melting 
metals in a crucible, it answers the purpose of the more ex- 
pensive outfits, which the amateur as a rule does not feel able to 
invest in. Furthermore, there are no bulky air tanks and pumps 




Fig. 136 — Details of the blowpipe 



to take up room, which to most amateurs means a great deal. The 
one illustrated can easily be carried in the pocket, so it is evident 
that the space required is indeed small. To construct one of this 
size, about 6 feet of copper or brass tubing 5/16 of an inch out- 
side diameter will be required, also 2 feet of band iron about 1/16 
of an inch thick by Y$ of an inch wide. Before bending the 
tubing to the required shape, it is necessary to fill it with lead or 
sand to prevent buckling. Either of these will be found to give 



122 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



good results, though for the smaller sizes of tubing lead is pre- 
ferable. It is not advisable to attempt pouring the molten lead 
in the tube, as it cools too rapidly. The safest way is to use wire 
solder. A piece two or three feet longer than the tube will as a 
rule be enough. The lower end of the tube will have to be closed 
by hammering it down. Insert the wire solder, hold the lower 
end of the tube over a flame to melt the solder, at the same time 




Fig. 137 — The blowpipe in use 



pressing the wire slightly. Move the tube slowly over the fire 
and it will quickly melt the Jead, and one may feel sure there are 
no bubbles. To f orm =the xouV use a round bar about % of an 
inch in diameter. A broom handle will prove useful. It is best 
to reduce the nozzle a slightly, to increase pressure of the gas as 
it becomes heated in the coil. After this is done, and the coil 
assumes the shape shown, we can proceed to remove the lead, 
which may be easily done by heating over a fire until the lead 
melts, then by shaking slightly it will run out and leave the tube 
clear. The valve may be dispensed with, and a rubber tube from 
a convenient gas jet may be slipped on. 

This blowpipe is adapted for gas under considerable pressure. 
If the pressure obtainable is low a larger pipe should be used 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 23 

and be bent into a smaller coil, and the constriction at a will be 
unnecessary. — 86 

FORMULAS FOR SOLDERS* 

The metals, or metallic mixtures, which are employed for the 
purpose of joining other metals, with the aid of heat, are known 
by the general name of solders. Their number is considerable, 
as soldering is done not only with pure metals, but also, and more 
frequently, indeed, with various alloys. 

Solders are classified according to the manner in which they 
are used, with further distinctions in regard to their fusibility 
and to the metals which are to be soldered. We will take up 
first the most general classification referring later to special cases. 

The two principal classes may be distinguished as homogeneous 
and heterogeneous solders. The first consist of the same metals 
as those which are to be joined to each other, the latter either of 
a foreign metal or, more frequently, of a mixture of metals. 

The homogeneous solders are, of course, the simplest, and in 
general most to be recommended, since it is possible, with them, 
to make the soldered article appear as if actually cast in one piece. 
But they are less frequently employed now than formerly, when 
fewer good solders were known; and this for the reason that 
this method of soldering is somewhat difficult, and requires in 
most cases a very high temperature. It has recently been revived, 
however, for many purposes, since devices have been learned for 
obtaining a very high degree of heat in a short time. 

The heterogeneous solders, consisting of alloys, have the advan- 
tage that by proper changes in their composition they can be 
easily adapted to any special purpose, and thus the labor is light- 
ened. Since the so-called soldering machine has been so far per- 
fected that a good deal of soldering can be done without the use 
of a soldering iron, simply by letting the melted solder run into 
the seams, many kinds of solder, even quite hard, are used in this 
way, and the work of soldering is thereby considerably simplified. 



* Copyright 1906 by Munn & Co. 



124 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

CLASSIFICATION OF SOLDERS 

Solders are divided, according to their fusibility and special 
uses, as follows : 

1. Soft Solder, or Tin Solder. — Subdivisions of this class are 
pure tin solder and the so-called' bismuth, solder. Soft solder is 
the most fusible kind, requiring, therefore, the least heat for 
soldering. As a matter of fact, soft solders can be prepared 
which will melt at a heat below the boiling point of water. 

2. Hard Solder. — Some very different substances are brought 
together under this name ; but the one distinguishing character- 
istic of the group is that all its members have a considerably 
higher fusing point than the soft solders, and thus can be used 
in soldering articles which are to be exposed to higher tempera- 
tures. The principal varieties of hard solder are : 

Copper solder. 

Brass solder, with its varieties known as hard and soft brass 
solder, white, half-white, and yellow-white solder. 
German silver solder. 
White nickel solder. 
Soft and hard silver solder. 
Gold solder. 
Enameling solder. 
Aluminium solder. 

Several of these solders can be used for soldering other metals 
than those which the name indicates. It would be entirely pos- 
sible, for example, to solder German silver with hard brass 
solder ; but as this is yellow and German silver white, the seams 
would show and give the article a bad appearance. 

To have the color of the solder as nearly as possible the same 
as that of the metal to be soldered, metallic mixtures are used, 
and it is also an object, as far as practicable, that the alloy should 
have similar properties. It is apparent that a large number of 
different solders are necessary, to correspond with the number 
of different metals and alloys. 



1 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



125 



SOFT SOLDERS 

Soft solder, or tin solder, can be used to solder many different 
metals, gold, silver, lead, copper, and steel, as well as brass, 
wrought iron, v and zinc. Its principal use, however, is in ordinary 
tinsmith's work, for which tin plate, zinc, and sheet brass are 
the materials most frequently employed. Soft solder can be used 
for any purpose where the soldered articles need not be heated 
much above the boiling point of water, so that there is no danger 
of its melting. 

In regard to their qualitative composition, soft solders vary 
but little. Tin and lead, and sometimes bismuth, are the metals 
combined. But the proportions of these are varied so much 
as to make quite a large number of different solders. It may 
be remarked, in general, that the fusing point of the alloy 
is raised by increasing the content of tin, and lowered by the 
addition of more lead. Since lead is much cheaper than tin, 
alloys containing a large proportion of lead are of course used 
for objects where a high fusing point of the solder is not neces- 
sary, as for instance in making toys. For certain other purposes, 
solders of pure tin, or those containing but a small amount of 
lead, are required. This is the case in the soldering of metallic 
utensils for use in chemical laboratories, or in the preparation of 
drugs and extracts. These utensils are made either of copper, 
and tinned on the inside, or of pure tin, which is a good resistant 
of chemical action. If solder containing much lead were used 
upon them, the lead would be liable to attack by certain chemical 
agents, and some amount would be dissolved into the contents of 
the vessel. In such cases, therefore, no regard should be paid to 
the cost of the solder ; the only consideration should be the pre- 
vention of any possibility of attack by substances such as vege- 
table extracts, fruit juices, etc. Pure tin is the best material for 
the solder, and it is of importance that it should be the best 
obtainable. English tin and "Banka" tin rank first with respect 
to purity, and the fusing point of the metal and the appearance 
of the fracture may be taken as a standard of the quality. Pure 
tin melts at 235 deg. C. (455 deg. F.), and the fusing point of a 



126 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

good quality of tin will be very near to this. If the fusing point 
is more than five degrees higher or lower, there is reason to sup- 
pose that there are adulterations which will be liable to affect the 
solder injuriously. 

If the fusing point is lower than 230 deg. C. (446 deg. F.) it 
is probable that the metal contains a small quantity of lead, usu- 
ally added intentionally ; a rod of such tin, on being bent, will 
make but little of the peculiar crackling noise characteristic of 
pure tin, and if broken, the fractured surface will plainly show 
the difference. 

A fusing point above 240 deg. C. (464 deg. F.) will usually be 
due to small quantities of iron ; tin containing iron is hard to 
bend, and has a hackly fracture. The presence of iron, however, 
is far less dangerous than that of lead. 

For ordinary tinsmith's work, where the resistance of the 
solder to acids, etc., is of less importance, it is customary to use 
mixtures of tin and lead, in varying proportions according to 
different purposes and according to the required melting point 
of the solder. Experts have taken much pains to make accurate 
determinations in this important matter, and the following table 
gives the fusing point (Centigrade) of a solder containing a 
given amount of lead to 100 parts of tin : 

Fusing Density of 

Lead. Point. the Alloy. 

16.5 194 7-9 2 7 

30 194 7-994 

33-3 J 94 8.109 

40 194 8 - 2 34 

45 187 8.267 

50 187 8.408 

60 181 8.447 

66.6 181 8.726 

100 197 8 - 86 4 

119 197 9-°3 s 

125 210 9.270 

179 2I ° 9433 



Fusing 


Density of 


Point. 


the Alloy. 


235 


9-554 


2 35 


9.640 


235 


9.770 


243 


9-797 


246 


9-939 


246 


10.052 


270 


10.331 


283 


10.595 


292 


10.751 


292 


10.815 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 27 



Lead. 

200 

233 • 

250 

268 

300 

358 

536 

715 

880 

1072 

It will be seen that the alloys of tin and lead become denser and 
less readily fusible as the contents of lead are increased. 

According to other experiments, the fusing points of the alloys 
are as given below : 

Lead. Tin. 

207 118 

207 354 

207 708 

621 236 

1242 118 270 deg. 

Before the solders really melt, they soften considerably, and 
the following table gives the softening point of some alloys : 



Fusing Point 


189 


deg. 


180 


deg. 


190 


deg. 


211 


deg. 







Softening 


Melting 


^ead. 


Tin. 


Point. 


Point. 


1035 


236 


185 deg. 


189 deg. 


1242 


236 


189 deg. 


194—195 deg. 


1449 


236 


192 deg. 


198 deg. 


1656 


236 


202 deg. 


208 — 210 deg;. 



128 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

Alloys used especially for solders : 

Tin. Lead. Fusing Point. 

1 1 80 4140 240 deg. 

1 1 80 3105 221 deg. 

1 180 2070 200 deg. 

1 180 1242 181 deg. 

1 180 1035 185 deg. 

1180 828 190 deg. 

Composition of ordinary soft solder : 

Lead 207 

Tin 118 

Weak Soft Solder 

Lead 207 

Tin 236 

Strong Soft Solder 

Lead 414 

Tin 118 

Fluid Solder 

Lead 621 

Tin 590 

Fluid solder is prepared by making the given mixture and 
letting it stand until partially hardened, when the part which is 
still fluid is poured off. In using this, it is poured into large 
seams, and works extremely well. The stiffened part can be 
used as ordinary solder. 

If the alloys are to be made in small quantities, it requires very 
sensitive scales to weigh the metals accurately. The composition 
of some varieties of tin solder is given below, in round numbers, 
with the fusing point of each. They are numbered according to 
their fluidity, No. 1 being the hardest. 

1. Lead 2 

Tin 1 

Fusing point, 240 deg. C. 

2. Lead 1 

Tin 1 

Fusing point, 200 deg. C. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 29 

3- Tin 2— 2J4 

Lead I 

Fusing point, 185 — 190 deg. C. . 

4. Lead .' 10 

Tin 177 

Fusing point, about 180 deg. C. 

Bismuth Solder. — For some purposes even the soft solders of 
tin and lead are too difficult of fusion, and in this case alloys of 
tin, lead, and bismuth are employed. This is a most excellent 
solder, but its use is limited to very special purposes, on account 
of the expensiveness of bismuth. For ordinary work, also, there 
is no need of such an extremely low fusing point. 

Tin and bismuth alone are sometimes used, but not often. This 
alloy is more resonant than pure tin, but less ductile. The fusing 
points of some alloys of tin and bismuth are given below : 

Fusing Point. 
Bismuth. Tin. Deg. C. 

208 118 (Very brittle.) 137.7 

208 236 165.56 

208 944 168.99 

All solders containing bismuth have a very low fusing point; 
their disadvantage is that they have but little cementing power, 
and are very brittle, so that if an article soldered in this way is 
allowed to fall, the whole soldering seam will often give way. We 
give below the composition of some of the solders of tin, lead, 
and bismuth, with their respective fusing points : 

Fusing Point. 
Tin. Lead. Bismuth. Deg. C. 

118 207 208 124 

236 414 208 145 

354 621 208 255 

472 828 208 160 

236 . 207 208 160 

With a considerable admixture of bismuth, the fusing point 



130 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

can be brought down to a temperature lower than the boiling 
point of water. Some of these mixtures are here given : 

Newton's Metal 

Bismuth 1664 

Lead 1035 

Tin 354 

Fusing point, 94.5 deg. C. 

Rose's Metal 

Bismuth 416 

Lead 207 

Tin 118 

Fusing point, 93.75 deg. C. 

D'Arcet's Metal 

Bismuth .1664 

Lead • 1656 

Tin 354 

Fusing point, 79 deg. C. 

Attention should be called to the fact that these readily fusible 
metallic mixtures are remarkably well adapted to making repro- 
ductions of delicate plaster casts. A cast is made, for example, 
of a beetle. After drying at 100 deg. C. (212 deg. F.) the insect 
is carefully removed from the mold, and the latter filled with the 
fluid alloy. A perfect reproduction will be made. 

Bismuth solder is usually made by melting the required quan- 
tity of bismuth together with ordinary tin solder, in the propor- 
tion of 1 part of bismuth to 8 parts of solder. The tin must be 
melted first, and heated above the melting" point ; then the lead is 
added, the vessel removed from the fire, and the bismuth thrown 
into the mass, which will at once become thinner. It must be 
stirred rapidly, and the stirring should be continued until the 
alloy begins to stiffen, in order to insure an even mixture. 

A very good way is to scatter the bismuth, in powdered form, 
into the melted tin and lead, stirring all the time. Frequent 
remelting of bismuth solder is to be avoided, since this is apt to- 
raise the fusing point. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I3I 

Manufacture of Soft Solders. — The correct process of preparing 
soft solders is very simple, but certain rules must be observed if 
solder of good quality is to be obtained. 

The standard of good quality is that any smallest piece of the 
solder shall contain all the metals of the mixture in the right 
proportions. If improperly prepared, some parts of the solder 
will have a different fusing point from others. 

Since lead is harder to melt than any of the other metals used 
in solder, it ought really to be melted first and the others added 
to it. The tin, however, is less dense than the lead, and will not 
sink in it, so that much longer stirring is necessary to insure 
an even mixture than if the process is reversed. Besides this, 
the lead oxidizes very easily, and if melted alone, there will be a 
considerable waste in ash. The following method is the best: 
Cut the lead into little pieces, and have them ready on a shovel. 
Heat the tin in a stone or porcelain vessel over a coal fire, gently 
at first, until melted. When a film of tin-ash forms upon the 
surface of the metal, throw in the lead, a little at a time, waiting 
until this is melted before adding more. Stir constantly with 
a flat wooden paddle, in order that the metals may be thoroughly 
mixed. 

When all the lead is melted, pour the alloy into the molds by 
means of a ladle with a nozzle. When it has become stiff, dip 
the mold into cold water, throw out the solder, and have the mold 
ready for more. Two workmen, with but a small number of 
molds, can prepare a considerable quantity of solder in this way 
in a short time. 

The forms into which the solder is poured are best made of 
cast iron, of such a size as to make rods of the solder about 30 
centimeters long, 2 to 3 centimeters wide, and 2 to 5 millimeters 
thick. The sides are inclined outward a little, so that the rods 
can be easily removed, and the mold is rubbed with grease before 
being used the first time. 

For commercial purposes, and for large factories where the 
solder is given out to the workmen, it is well to have the pieces 
all of the same size and weight. The mold shown in Fig. 138 



132 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



is especially well adapted to this, and the solder is produced in 
sharp-cornered prismatic pieces. 

In making fine bismuth solder and tin solder for delicate work, 
it is well to cast it in molds which will give cylindrical pieces. 
Fig. 139 shows the cross-section of such a mold. It consists of 





Fig. 138— Mold for 
solders 



Fig. 139 — Mold for bismuth 
and tin solders 



two parts, with half-cylindrical grooves, making a hollow cylinder 
when placed together. The solder is poured in at the top. 

If iron vessels are used to melt the solder, as is frequently 
done, the solder will take in some iron and become harder and 
more brittle. Vessels of stone or porcelain are therefore pre- 
ferable. 

Bismuth alloys are made in the same manner as ordinary 
solder, except that the temperature of the mixture is lowered, by 
decreasing the fire, immediately after adding the bismuth. 

In practice, the quality of the solder is judged by its outward 
appearance. Good soft solder has a crystalline structure, ap- 
parent on the surface, and the crystals are grouped in a peculiar 
way. These "blossoms," so called in German, are brilliant spots 
on a dull white ground. If the solder shows very brilliant tin- 
white specks on a blue-gray ground, this is a sure indication that 
it was badly prepared, and that the metals are not properly mixed. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I33 

Solder of this nature can be made over, by melting and stirring 
vigorously. 

If, in spite of correct treatment and intimate mixture by stir- 
ring, the "blossoms" are not seen, it is a sign that there is not 
sufficient tin in the composition. Melted tin in small quantities 
can be added to the melted mass, until a sample shows the desired 
crystalline structure. 

Special Uses of Soft Solders. — Metal workers who are in the 
habit of preparing alloys for solders are likely to have occasion 
to use them for other purposes also. As before observed, these 
alloys, on account of their low fusing point and the sharpness- 
with which they fill out the forms, are well adapted to the manu- 
facture of small cast articles, such as children's toys, buttons, etc. 

If it is desired to make them harder and save tin, small quan- 
tities of antimony may be added during the melting. From I to 
5 per cent is enough to harden the alloy considerably ; a certain 
limit must not be exceeded, for the reason that the articles, espe- 
cially if thin, would be very brittle and break easily. 

An alloy for casting, made of 4 parts of tin and 3 of lead, is 
easily fusible, and quite soft, filling the forms perfectly. Eight 
parts of tin, 6 of lead, and 0.5 of antimony makes an alloy easily 
fusible, but somewhat harder and more brittle than the preceding. 

Sheet Alloy 

Tin 35 

Lead 250 

Copper 2.5 

Zinc 0.5 

This alloy has a fine white color, and can be rolled out into very 
thin sheets. It is used for lining tea-chests, and for making sheet 
to wrap up tobacco, chocolate, etc. The copper and zinc are used 
in the form of fine shavings, and the alloy cast into thin plates, 
afterward rolled to the thinness of paper, and called tin foil. 

An alloy of 29 parts of tin and 19 of lead is characterized by a 
high and permanent luster, and can be used to imitate brilliants, 
for theatrical decoration. An alloy of 2 parts of tin and 1 of lead 
is usually made first, and more tin is then added until a drop, let 



134 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

fall upon a smooth iron plate, reflects like a mirror. The bril- 
liants are made by dipping a piece of glass, cut in the form of a 
jewel, into the melted alloy, quickly removing it and letting it cool. 
The small quantity of the alloy adhering to it stiffens quickly and 
falls off. These brilliants are rough on the outside and gray in 
color, but the smooth inner surface, by artificial light, gives reflec- 
tions like diamonds ; the surface may also be coated with blue, 
red, or green aniline varnish to vary the effect. Pieces of pol- 
ished steel or bronze may also be used instead of the glass. 

The above-described alloys of tin, lead, and bismuth are the 
ones generally used for casting objects which cannot be exposed 
to great heat, such as wood carvings, plaster casts, etc. 

The so-called cliche metals possess in a high degree the quali- 
ties of ready fusibility, softness, and capacity for filling out the 
molds sharply, which are required of these alloys, and are emi- 
nently suited for casts of woodcuts, as in making metal plates for 
printing. 

Cliche Alloys 

Tin 3 

Lead 2 

Bismuth 5 

Fusing point, 91.6 deg. C. ; excellent for cuts, but expensive on 
account of the large amount of bismuth. Some cheaper compo- 
sitions are as follows : 

I. II. III. IV. 

Tin 1 3 1 2 

Lead 1 5 1.5 2 

Bismuth 2 8 3 5 

Antimony . . . . 1 

xAdloys for medallions and coins (used by collectors to take 
impressions) must give extremely fine and sharp impressions. 
The following mixtures are suitable for the purpose : 

I. II. 

Tin 3 6 

Lead 13 8 

Bismuth 6 14 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 35 

Castings of natural objects, such as fruits, leaves, butterflies, 
lizards, etc., can only be made by using the very softest and most 
fusible alloys known, prepared by adding cadmium to the bis- 
muth alloys. This metal, whose fusing point alone is 455 deg., 
has nevertheless the property of lowering the fusing point of 
metallic mixtures. 

Wood's Metal 

Tin 2 

Lead 4 

Bismuth 5 to 8 

Cadmium 1 to 2 

This is silver white, very fine grained, and melts between 66 
deg. and 72 deg, C. It is also excellent for soldering. 

Lipowitz's Metal 

Tin 4 

Lead 8 

Bismuth 15 

Cadmium 3 

This is the most readily fusible of all mixtures, becoming soft 
at 55 deg. and melting entirely at 60 deg. C. 

HARD SOLDERS 

In treating of soft solders, it was shown that the fusing point 
... 
of these compositions varies considerably. The variations are 

still greater in the case of hard solders, whose composition is 
such that they melt only on being brought to strong red heat. 
Some of them can be melted in the ordinary way, with the aid 
of a soldering iron, while in the case of others, a special appar- 
atus, such as a bellows, must be employed, or the whole object to 
be soldered must be strongly heated. The numerous kinds of 
hard solders, with different fusing points, are made necessary 
by the difference in the nature of the various metals and metallic 
compositions which may require soldering. 

Copper Solders. — Although many hard solders contain copper, 
and might therefore be classed with copper solders, we will here 



I36 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

consider under that name only those whose essential constituent 
is copper. Copper is a metal which melts only at very high tem- 
peratures, and affects in this way its alloys with other metals ; any 
solders containing copper are hence always to be called hard. 
But the fusing point is generally lowered as the amount of copper 
is decreased. 

Pure copper, on account of its strength and tenacity, is an 
excellent material for soldering, and is much used for cast iron, 
wrought iron, and steel. Where its color is no objection, it is to 
be highly recommended for use with the above-mentioned metals. 
It may be employed in the form of thin strips, or in filings scat- 
tered over the place to be soldered, this according to the nature of 
the surface. 

Fine copper filings are sometimes used to solder copper itself, 
and with the best results ; but usually alloys containing a large 
percentage of copper, but more easily fusible than copper itself, 
are used. 

These (used also for bronze) are mixtures of copper and lead^ 
The more lead they contain the more readily fusible they become, 
of course, and the less they resemble copper in color or in point of 
tenacity. The most common copper solder is composed of 5 parts 
of copper to 1 of lead. Another has copper 80 parts, lead 15, 
and tin 5. 

Copper amalgam, that is, a compound of copper and mercury, 
is very well adapted to soldering such copper and bronze articles 
as cannot be exposed to strong heat. This is prepared by first 
precipitating the copper from a solution of blue vitriol, which is 
done by putting in sheets of zinc and shaking. The copper will 
be in the form of a very fine powder. From 20 to 36 parts by 
weight of this powder, according as the solder is to be harder or 
softer, are put into a porcelain mortar, and enough sulphuric acid 
is poured on to make a paste, then 70 parts of mercury are stirred 
in. After a uniform mass has been obtained, the sulphuric acid 
is washed out, and the amalgam will be left, after ten or twelve 
hours, as a hard mass, capable of being polished. If heated to 
662 deg. F. it becomes soft and malleable. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 37 

In soldering, the seams of the copper or bronze articles are 
brushed over with, a solution of mercury, the so-called amalgamat- 
ing fluid, and become white from the separation of mercury. 
The amalgam, powdered, is scattered over, and by passing the 
hot soldering iron over the places, the soldering is completed. 
The amalgamating fluid is made by dissolving 10 parts by weight 
of mercury in n parts of nitric acid, and diluting the solution 
with 500 to 550 parts of soft water. 

Brass Solder. — This is a very important kind of solder, used 
by many metal workers to solder brass, bronze, copper, iron, and 
steel. From its composition it may be considered a kind of brass, 
to which are sometimes added small quantities of tin. 

Brass, as we know, is an alloy of copper and zinc. Most kinds 
of brass have an average composition of 68 to 70 per cent of 
copper to 32 to 30 per cent of zinc; but there are certain special 
varieties in which varying quantities of zinc, from 24 to 40 per 
cent, may be found. 

The less zinc there is in brass, the more it approaches copper 
in its general characteristics; increasing quantities of zinc tend 
to make it brittle and crystalline. As a rule, alloys for hard 
solders should not contain more than 34 per cent of zinc. 

The fusing point of brass is raised as the amount of copper is 
increased ; an alloy containing 90 per cent of copper melts at 
1,060 deg. C. (1,940 deg. F.), with 80 per cent of copper the 
fusing point is 1,020 deg. C. (1,868 deg. F.), with 50 per cent 
980 deg. C. (1,796 deg. F.), with 30 per cent 950 deg. C. (1,742 
deg. F.). 

As the alloy becomes more readily fusible with an increase of 
zinc, the color also changes essentially, and the alloy becomes 
much more brittle. The latter property may be modified by using 
partly zinc and partly tin, thus giving the alloy a resemblance to 
bronze. The durability of the solder is not affected, but it is 
made much less brittle and more readily fusible. If, however, 
more than a certain percentage of tin is added, the solder becomes 
thin and somewhat soft, gray-white in color, and very brittle 
again, so much so that the seams will separate if the article is 



I38 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

bent. For this reason great care must be exercised in making 
the mixtures of zinc and tin. 

If metals are to be soldered which are very difficult of fusion, 
brass itself may be used directly as a solder ; a very hard solder 
may be made by melting brass and mixing in copper. There are 
numerous formulas for hard solders, but not all of them are 
reliable; a few will be given here, all of which have been well 
tested and found excellent. The hardest are given first. 

Yellow Hard Solders 

(Very Hard) 

Appelbaum's Compositions 

I. 

Copper 58 

Zinc 42 

II. 
Sheet brass 85.42 

Zinc I3-58 

Karmarsch's Composition 
III. 

Brass 7 

Zinc 1 

Prechtl's Composition 

IV. 

Copper 53.30 

Zinc 43-io 

Tin ■. 1 .30 

Lead . 0.30 

The foregoing compositions have the yellow color of brass, are 
very strong, and require very high temperatures for melting, so 
that they can be used for copper, bronze, steel, and all kinds of 
iron. The ones next given melt more easily than the first, and 
are suitable for all kinds of work with brass. 

I. 

Sheet brass . . : 81.12 

Zinc 18.88 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 39 

II. 

Copper 54.08 

Zinc 45- 2 9 

III. 

Brass 3 to 4 

Zinc 1 

IV. 

Brass 78.26 

Zinc 17.41 

Silver 4.33 

IV. is somewhat expensive on account of the silver, but has the 
valuable property of being at once tenacious and ductile, and can 
be worked into wire with hammer or rollers. 
Still softer are : 

I. 

Brass 5 

Zinc 2.5 

II. 

Brass . 5 

Zinc 5 

Half-White 

I. 

Copper .. 53-3 

Zinc 46.7 

II. . 

Brass - . . 12 

Zinc 4 to 7 

Tin 1 

III. 

Brass ^ 

Zinc . : . .- • 10 

Tin 1 



140 



IV. 



Copper . . . 44 

Zinc 49 

Tin 3.20 

Lead 1 .20 

I. (Yolk's hard solder) and IV. (Prechtl's half-white) are quite 
readily fusible. 

White 

I. 

Brass 20 

Zinc . . 1 

Tin 4 

II. 

Brass 11 

Zinc 1 

Tin , 2 

III. 

Brass 6 

Zinc 4 

Tin 10 

IV. 

Copper 57.44 

Zinc 27.98 

Tin 14.58 

A. Krupp, in his excellent work, gives the following table of 
the compositions of hard solders, all of which have been verified 
in practice. The proportions are given in percentage. The terms 
"hard" and "soft" refer, of course, to the respective degrees of 
fusibility, being simply comparative, as the whole class of solders 
which we are now considering are called in general "hard." 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



141 



A. Solders Prepared from the Pure Metals 



Copper. 

Very hard 57-94 

Very hard ......... 58.33 

Hard 50.00 



Soft 
Soft 
Soft 
Soft 
Soft 



33-34 
44.00 

57-44 

72.00 

(Volk's) 53.30 



(half-white) 
(white) 



Zinc. 

42.06 

41.67 

50.00 

66.66 

49.90 

27.98 

18.00 

46.70 



Tin 



3-30 

14.58 

4.00 



B. Solders of Brass and Zinc 



Brass. Zinc. 

Very hard 85.42 12.58 

Very hard 7.00 1.00 

Hard 3.00 1 .00 

Hard 4.00 1 .00 

Soft 5.00 2.00 

Soft 5.00 4.00 

Half-white 12.00 5.00 

Half-white 44.00 20.00 

White 40.00 2.00 

White 22.00 2.00 

White 18.00 12.00 

Very ductile 78.25 17-25 

For brazier's work 81.12 18.88 

C. Brass Solders 
Copper. 

Yellow, hard 53 .30 

Half-white, soft .... 44.00 
White 57-44 



Tin. 

1.30 

3-30 

14.58 



Lead 



1.20 



Tin 



1. 00 

2.00 

8.00 

4.00 

30.00 



Lead. 
0.30 
1.20 



Zinc. 

43-io 

49.90 

27.98 

German Silver Solders 
The solders thus classified, as their name implies, are used 
principally for soldering German silver. This alloy contains 
nickel and is very hard and white, and it requires solders which 
have corresponding qualities. German silver belongs among the 
alloys which are very difficult of fusion, and the solders used for 



142 

it are those which have very high fusing points, and belong there- 
fore to the general class of hard solders. They have great 
strength, and are used for other purposes, in cases where the 
object to be soldered is exposed to heavy strain. German silver 
solder can be given a color very much like that of steel, and is 
much used in steel work. 

In regard to its composition, it bears this relation to ordinary 
hard solders, that while these may be considered to be brass with 
an admixture of zinc, German silver solder may be called a mix- 
ture of zinc and German silver. It is softer or harder according 
to the greater or less amount of zinc contained in it ; but if this 
exceeds a certain limit, the solder becomes very brittle. 

There are two principal varieties of German silver solder, called, 
relatively, hard and soft. The former is exceedingly strong, on 
account of the large amount of nickel it contains, and is some- 
times called "steel solder," being quite generally used for solder- 
ing steel. 

Soft German Silver Solders 
I. 

Copper 4.5 

Zinc .............. 9 . . . 7.0 

Nickel . . . o .........00 1.0 

II. 

Copper 35.0 

Zinc 56.5 

Nickel 8.5 

III. 

German silver 5 

Zinc 4 

I. and II. are quite similar in composition, and have corre- 
spondingly similar properties ; in III., German silver, that is, a 
compound of copper, zinc, and nickel, is used directly, and in pre- 
paring this solder it is necessary to know the exact composition 
of the alloy, or to try the solder in small quantities, in order to 
judge of the correct amount of zinc to be added. It may be 
assumed that the proportions are correct, when the metallic mix- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I43 

ture is lustrous, and brittle enough to allow of pulverizing when 
hot, and when it will become fluid in contact with a red hot 
soldering iron. 

Hard German Silver Solders (Steel Solders) 
I. 
Copper 35 

ZiR c 56.5 

Nickel 9.5 

II. 

Copper 38 

Zinc 50 

Nickel t 12 

I. requires a very hot flame for melting, and II. can usually be 
melted only by applying bellows to the flame. 

In preparing German silver solder by direct melting together 
of the three metals, the copper is first to be melted, then the zinc 
and nickel added simultaneously. It can also be made by melting 
German silver together with zinc, a method which is not only 
more convenient, but has other advantages, especially if the solder 1 
is needed only in small quantities. The temperature required for 
melting this solder is so high that some of the zinc, which is very 
volatile, will evaporate if used pure, and it is difficult to obtain 
a mixture containing the proper amount of zinc. 

The German silver is first melted, and heated very hot, and 
about six-tenths of the quantity of zinc is then thrown in. The. 
melted mass is immediately stirred with an iron rod and a sample 
of it is taken out, by means of an iron spoon with a beak, and 
poured upon a cold stone or iron plate. As soon as it has stiff- 
ened, it is put into a mortar to be pulverized. If a few vigorous 
strokes will accomplish this, the alloy is of the right composition ; 
but if it cannot be pulverized, there is too little zinc. If, on the 
other hand, the alloy is so brittle, while still hot, that a blow of a 
hammer will break it to pieces, and if it is very easily powdered 
in the mortar, an excess of zinc is indicated, and it will not only 
be too soft, but lose in strength. Too much zinc is also shown 
by a very high luster. 



144 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

More zinc can be added as required, and if there is already too 
much, this can be remedied in either of two ways ; either the 
alloy is kept a long time in fusion, so that a certain quantity of zinc 
evaporates, or more German silver is added-. This method is pre- 
ferable, as it saves consumption of fuel, and no zinc is lost. The 
German silver should be added in the form of filings, as it is 
obtained from the manufactories of German silver articles, in 
order to insure quick and thorough mixture. The filings are to 
be scattered over the alloy, and stirred in with a hardwood stick. 
When this is dipped into the melted mass, the wood begins to 
decompose, on account of the great heat, and gases are developed 
which have a reducing effect, and cause an intimate mixture of 
the constituents. 

In soldering German silver articles, which are not to be ex- 
posed to very high temperatures, the soft German silver solders 
are generally used, and the correct composition is hardly to be 
distinguished from the German silver itself, since the color is 
nearly the same. The solder is employed in the form of a fine 
powder, which has the advantage that it can be applied quickly 
and no more used than necessary. 

It is best to heat the mortar, in which the solder is pulverized, 
very hot, and to pour out the melted solder upon a large iron 
plate, in a thin layer, which is at once broken in pieces with a 
hammer and thrown into the mortar. The powder, which will 
be in grains of uneven size, is put through a hair sieve, and the 
fine portions are used for solder, the larger particles being ground 
over again. 

The process of pulverizing German silver solder, as just de- 
scribed, is a very troublesome one, as it not only requires a great 
expenditure of strength, on account of the tenacious nature of 
the alloy, but must be done within a short time, that is, while the 
metal is still hot. The following method of preparing the powder 
is preferable : 

A cast-iron mold is made, in two parts exactly fitting together, 
and allowing the casting of a cylinder 20 or 30 centimeters long 
and 8 or 10 in diameter. This cylinder is rubbed on the inside 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 45 

with oil and lampblack, to prevent the alloy from adhering, and 
filled with the metallic mixture. After it has become entirely 
cold the cylinder is placed in a mechanical turning- lathe, and the 
turning chisel so adjusted that very fine filings are shaved off, 
which are then heated and pulverized. The cylinder may also 
be pressed against a rapidly-revolving steel disk, cut like a file, 
and the filings procured in this way. 

SILVER SOLDERS 

The solders which contain silver are very strong and tenacious, 
and are used not only to solder silver, but also for other metals, 
in cases where the objects to be soldered require great power of 
resistance. Two principal kinds of silver solder are distinguished, 
hard and soft, the former consisting of silver and copper, with 
sometimes a little zinc, and the latter containing, besides the 
metals just mentioned, a small amount of tin. 

Hard Silver Solder. — According to the purpose for which this 
is intended, different compositions are used varying in fusibility. 
Silver workers use different solders for alloys of varying degrees 
of fineness, and the same ones are not always employed for re- 
soldering as for the first soldering. 

Silver Solders 
Very Hard (for Fine Silver Articles) 

Copper i 

Silver 4 

Hard 

I. 

Copper i 

Silver 20 

Brass 9 

II. 

Copper 2 

Silver 28 

Brass 10 



I46 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

Soft 

I. 

Silver „ 2 

Brass 1 

II. 

Silver 3 

Copper 2 

Zinc I 

III. 

Silver 10 

Brass 10 

Tin 1 

These solders serve principally for completing the soldering of 

silver articles done with hard solder, by retouching imperfect 
places. Some silver workers use for this purpose copper and 
silver alloys mixed with zinc, as for example, the following : 

Copper 4 

Silver 12 

Zinc I 

Or, 

Silver 5 

Brass 6 

Zinc 2 

The latter is readily fusible, but also rather brittle, and is fre- 
quently used for soldering ordinary silverware. 

Solders for Iron, Steel, Cast Iron, and Copper 
I. 

Silver 10 

Brass 10 

II. 

Silver 20 

Copper 30 

Zinc 10 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY \AJ 

III. 

Silver 30 

Copper 10 

Tin 0.5 

Soft Silver Solder 

Silver . . 60 

Brass 60 

Zinc 5 

In the case of solders which are prepared with brass, care, 
should be taken that neither of the metals in the composition con- 
tains iron, as it has been found by experience that the presence 
of a very trifling amount of this is sufficient to change the char- 
acter of the alloy materially, making it brittle. 

Silver solders are used in the form of fine filings or wire, the 
latter method of preparing it being especially adapted to the 
tenacious and ductile nature of the alloy. 

In the large manufactories for silver ware it has become the 
custom in recent years to use the same alloy for soldering as that 
of which the silver article is made. It is used in the form of fil- 
ings, and melted into the seams so that the object and the solder 
are really homogeneous. 

GOLD SOLDERS 

Gold, both pure and variously alloyed, is used to a considerable 
extent in soldering, but on account of its expensiveness it is 
limited to articles made of gold or platinum, or the most delicate 
small steel objects. 

Gold alloys are of different colors, according to the kind and 
proportion of the other metals used. There are yellow, red, white, 
and green gold alloys. The color of the special alloy should of 
course be in harmony with the color of the object to be soldered, 
in order that the seams may be as inconspicuous as possible. 

The fusibility of gold alloys varies as much as their color, and 
is lowered as the amount of gold in the alloy increases. Harder 
solders should therefore be used for objects of fine gold than 
for a poorer quality. 

Gold solders are made from gold and silver, gold and copper, 



I48 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

and still more frequently from a mixture of all three of these 
metals ; in some cases zinc is added, to make the solder softer. But 
this must not be done if the soldered articles are to be colored, as 
the zinc alloy will turn black in coloring. For objects which are 
to be wholly or partially enameled, the solders made of gold and 
silver, or of gold, silver, and copper, are the only ones used, and 
these are called "enamel solders." 

Pure Gold Solder. — Before soldering apparatus had been de- 
vised by means of which platinum could be melted, pure gold was 
used for soldering articles made of this metal, such as are em- 
ployed by chemists and in the manufacture of sulphuric acid. 
For this purpose, the gold is laid upon the seams in the form of 
fine rolled wire, or in thin strips, and melted with the oxy-hydro- 
gen blowpipe. But experience has shown that platinum articles 
soldered with gold are far less durable than those made by 
direct melting together of the pieces of platinum with the blow- 
pipe, especially in the case of the vessel used in distilling the 
English sulphuric acid. Of late years this process has become uni- 
versal in the manufacture of platinum ware, and the gold is only 
used for repairing small platinum articles, such as the small cruci- 
bles and dishes for chemical laboratories. It requires a fierce 
white heat to melt it properly, and it is even then rather hard, so 
that the process of soldering demands great skill on the part of 
the workman. 

Hard Gold Solder 

Gold 750/1000 fine ( 18 carat) 9 

Silver 2 

Copper I 

This is used for the finest gold articles. 
Soft Gold Solder 

Gold 750/1000 fine (18 carat) , 12 

Silver 7 

Copper 3 

This is likewise used for fine gold, but is much more fusible 
than the one first given. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I49 

Gold Solder for Articles 583/1000 fine (14 carat) 
I. 

Gold 583/1000 fine ( 14 carat) 3 

Silver 2 

Copper 1 

II. 

Gold 583/1000 fine ( 14 carat) 4 

Silver I 

Copper 1 

Gold Solder for Ordinary Gold Ware less than 583/1000 (14 

carat) fine 
I. 

Fine gold 1 

Silver 2 

Copper 1 

II. 

Fine gold 1 

Copper or silver 1 

Soft Gold Solder 
I. 

Fine gold 1 1.94 

Silver 54.74 

Copper 28.17 

Zinc 5.01 

II. 

Gold 583/1000 fine ( 14 carat) . . . 10 

Silver 5 

Zinc 1 

Enamel-Solder, Hard 

Gold 750/1000 fine ( 18 carat) yj 

Silver . . . . 9 

Enamel-Solder, Soft 

Gold 750/1000 fine ( 18 carat) 16 

Silver 3 

Copper 1 



I50 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

The degree of fusibility of the enamel must decide the question 
as to which one of these compositions to use. If it is very hard, 
the first solder is the proper one, as otherwise the seams would 
become so hot during the process of melting the enamel that the 
solder itself would melt. For ordinary gold ware soft enamels 
are generally used, and in this case the softer solder can be em- 
ployed. It is easily melted with the common soldering pipe ; the 
harder can also be melted in the same way, but the use of a 
special apparatus makes the process much easier and quicker. 

ALUMINIUM SOLDERS 

Since the discovery of aluminium and its production in consid- 
erable quantities, it has become a common material in the manu- 
facture of various artistic objects. One of the greatest difficulties, 
however, in the past has been that there was no perfect solder for 
aluminium, and various alloys were used which gave unsatis- 
factory results. This difficulty has now been overcome, and it is 
possible to solder the metal so perfectly that in tests which have 
been made the metal itself broke before the solder gave way. 

The French manufacturers use five kinds of solder for alum- 
inium, all consisting of zinc, copper, and aluminium, in different 
proportions. These are given below. Parts by weight. 

I. 

Zinc .....000 80 

Copper 8 

Aluminium 12 

II. 

Zinc 85 

Copper -. . . 6 

Aluminium 9 

III. 

Zinc 88 

Copper 5 

Aluminium 7 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 151 

IV. 

Zinc 90 

Copper 4 

Aluminium 6 

V. 

Zinc 94 

Copper 2 

Aluminium 4 

There are also other compositions besides these. Bourbouze 
recommends, for objects wtiich are to be further manipulated or 
worked on after soldering, a mixture of 45 parts of tin and 10 of 
aluminium. 

Frischmuth gives the following alloys for solders : 

A. B. 

Silver 10 .... 

Copper 10 .... 

Aluminium 20 .... 

Tin 60 95 to 99 

Zinc 30 .... 

Bismuth . . . 5 to 8 

The composition B .(an ordinary soft solder) is adapted for 
soldering aluminium by means of the common soldering iron. 

In preparing aluminium solders, the alloy of copper and alumi- 
nium is always made first, and the zinc added. First of all the 
copper is melted, and the aluminium put in gradually, usually in 
three or four portions. The two metals are of very different den- 
sity, and the mixture should be stirred with an iron rod, to unite 
them as far as possible. Immediately after adding the last por- 
tion of the aluminium, the zinc is put in, and at the same time 
some fat or resin is thrown into the kettle, the whole is quickly 
stirred, the kettle removed from the fire, and the alloy poured 
into iron molds which have been rubbed with coal oil or benzine. 
The whole work must be done as quickly as possible after the ad- 
dition of the zinc, or the solder will not remain in a suitable con- 
dition. 

The zinc used should contain no iron, as a very small amount 



I52 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

of the latter would materially affect the fusibility and durability 
of the solder. The purpose of the fat or resin is to prevent the 
oxidation of the zinc, and, as before observed, the work must 
proceed as rapidly as possible from this moment, as the tempera- 
ture of the mass is so high that if it were left long in fusion much 
of the zinc would evaporate. 

On account of its resistance to chemical influences, aluminium 
solder is frequently used by dentists to unite the metallic parts 
of artificial teeth, but alloys for this purpose must not contain 
copper except in very small quantities, as this metal is easily 
attacked by acids. 

Platinum and Aluminium Solder 

Gold ~. 30 

Platinum I 

Silver 20 

Aluminium 100 

Aluminium and Gold Solder 

Gold 50 

Silver 10 

Copper 10 

Aluminium 20 

Solder for Aluminium Bronze. — Aluminium and copper make 
a very beautiful alloy, and one of valuable properties, much used 
for soldering artistic objects. Aluminium bronze demands a 
special composition, and for this purpose a common soft (white) 
solder is generally used, mixed with zinc amalgam in different 
proportions, either 2, 4, or 8 parts of the solder to 1 of the 
amalgam. Zinc amalgam is an alloy of zinc and mercury, as evi- 
dent from its name (amalgam) being the general designation 
for alloys of mercury with other metals. To prepare it 2 parts of 
zinc and 1 of mercury are united, with heat. The zinc is melted, 
the mercury quickly stirred in and the mixture quickly cooled. It 
is a somewhat brittle alloy, silver white in color. To make the 
solder for aluminium bronze, the soft solder is melted, the zinc 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 53 

amalgam, finely powdered, added, and the mass at once poured 
out into molds. 

The soldering must be done with a soldering tool made of pure 
aluminium ; the solder would easily enough adhere, to be sure, 
to other metals, but would alloy itself with them, and its com- 
position would be changed. 

In using the five aluminium solders given above, the kind of 
soldering to be done must be taken into consideration ; for small 
ornamental objects, for instance, No. i may be used ; for larger 
articles, such as teapots, coffee pots, etc., No. 4 is most frequently 
employed. 

Originally the solders composed of aluminium and zinc were the 
only ones used for aluminium articles; large objects were first 
put together with an easily fusible solder, and the soldering fin- 
ished with a harder one. The alloys of aluminium and zinc have 
the disadvantage that they oxidize easily in melting, and the work 
is made much more difficult thereby. This can be remedied by 
dipping the fine grains of the solder (in which form it is used) 
in copaiva balsam, which acts as a reducing agent, besides ex- 
cluding the air. But this is not necessary if the compositions 
containing copper are employed. — 102 

HOW TO SOLDER ALUMINIUM 

There is no solder which operates with aluminium in the same 
way that ordinary solders operate with copper, tin, etc. There 
are two reasons for this. 

First. Aluminium does not alloy readily with solders at tem- 
peratures as low as the other metals require, and it is consequently 
necessary, in soldering aluminium, to use a much higher tem- 
perature. Furthermore, aluminium alloys with lead only with 
great difficulty and with but a small proportion of lead at that ; 
consequently lead solders are useless with aluminium. 

Second. The surface of all aluminium is covered with a thin 
invisible coating of aluminium oxide. This coating forms in- 
stantly on the surface of aluminium and is very refractory, and 
its presence is responsible for the high resistance of aluminium to 



154 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

corroding agents, since, although aluminium itself is soluble in a 
great many chemical compounds, this protective coating of oxide 
is insoluble in almost everything excepting hydrofluoric acid. 
While in general this coating of oxide is beneficial, in that it forms 
a perfect protection to the aluminium underneath, it is, by reason 
of its efficiency in this particular, responsible for the principal por- 
tion of the difficulty which occurs in soldering aluminium, as 
naturally no solder will alloy with aluminium oxide. 

In soldering aluminium, therefore, it is necessary that this 
oxide be removed before the soldering can take place ; and as it 
forms again instantly after removal, it is necessary that the re- 
moval of the oxide and the covering with solder shall be sim- 
ultaneous. In soldering other metals, the oxide can be removed 
chemically. With aluminium this is not possible, and it must be 
removed mechanically by abrasion. 

Bearing these facts in mind, it will be readily understood how 
aluminium soldering must be done. All the surface to which it 
is intended that the solder shall adhere must first be tinned. This 
is accomplished by heating the metal to a temperature above the 
fusion point of the solder used, and then rubbing the surface with 
a stick of the solder, thus rubbing the oxide off the surface with 
the solder itself, and covering the exposed points with melted 
solder, all in the same motion. In order to make sure that the 
tinning is thorough, it is better to rub the surface with a steel 
or brass scratch brush while the solder on this surface is still 
molten. This insures a thorough job of tinning. After the edges 
to be united are thus tinned, they may be sweated together with 
pure block tin, with the aid either of a soldering iron or blast 
lamp. 

With regard to the composition of aluminium solders, zinc ap- 
pears to alloy with aluminium more readily than any other metal 
available for the constituent part of the solder ; consequently all 
solders which will readily tin aluminium contain zinc in varying 
proportions. The solders which we have found to be most satis- 
factory are composed usually of tin,- zinc, and a very small pro- 
portion of aluminium. These solders do not run very freely nor 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I 55 

fuse as readily as ordinary solders, and it is necessary, as stated 
above, to use a higher temperature — so high in fact that extreme 
dfficulty is found in using these solders with a soldering iron, and 
it is generally necessary to use a blast lamp. 

Another thing which must be borne in mind is that solder will 
not flow into an aluminium joint, even when tinned, by capillary 
action as it does into copper or tin joints, and it is therefore neces- 
sary to place on the surfaces to be united all of the material neces- 
sary to sweat them together before the edges are brought into con- 
tact. In soldering aluminium joints it is necessary that both the 
tinning and sweating shall be most thoroughly done ; otherwise 
the joint will not be durable. 

On account of the presence of zinc in the tinning solder, the 
solder is decomposed by moisture, and unless the work is so well 
done that the joint is absolutely waterproof, it will not be durable. 
The quality of the workmanship has more influence than anything 
else on the permanence of the work. — 39 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE HANDY MAN IN THE FACTORY 

One is apt to think of the handy man as a pottering amateur, 
who delights to dabble at all classes of work, but cannot do any 
single thing in a thorough, workmanlike manner. While there 
are such handy men, they constitute only a part of the classifica- 
tion, which is broad enough to include the most skillful mechanics. 
In the large machine shop it frequently happens that a special 
piece of work of unusual character must be done. The ordinary 
mechanic is nonplussed. He cannot do anything out of the com- 
mon run. But the handy man steps forward and suggests a 
brand-new method of procedure, which solves the difficulty. 
Every machine shop needs a handy man. 

MILLING ATTACHMENT FOR THE LATHE 

In a certain factory where the writer was employed, a 
machine was being constructed which called for a 3-inch shaft cut 
with a spiral groove of very flat pitch. It was impossible to cut 
this groove with a screw-cutting lathe, owing to the unusual pitch. 
The piece was too large for the universal milling machines in the 
shop, and the pitch was not flat enough to be cut in a planer. 

The handy man of the shop proposed that a milling attachment 
be used. Accordingly, a bracket A was made with bearings for 
two shafts B and C, lying in planes at right angles to each other, 
the one horizontal and the other inclined. The horizontal shaft B 
was fitted with a worm, which meshed with a gear D on one end 
of the shaft C, the opposite end of which carried a face mill E. 
The inclination of the shaft was such that the plane of the cutter 
coincided with the desired pitch of the spiral groove. The bracket 
A was bolted to the cross-feed slide of the lathe. The shaft B 
was fitted with a pulley F, which was belted to a long pulley or 
drum G on the countershaft above. A special gear was required 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



157 



to feed the carriage at the requisite speed. A bracket H was 
bolted to the head-stock of the lathe, and furnished bearings for a 
shaft which was fitted at one end with a pinion J, adapted to en- 
gage the face gear of the back drive, and at the other with a 
gear K, adapted to mesh with a gear L on the feed screw. By 
this means a 12 to 1 reduction was furnished between the face 
plate and the screw. The low speed of the driving pulleys was 




Fig. 140 — A milling attachment for the lathe 

used so that a single rough cut and a finishing cut sufficed to 
form the spiral groove in the shaft. This idea was the forerunner 
of the thread milling machine. — 42 

CUTTING A GROOVE OF 42-INCH PITCH ON A 1%-INCH SHAFT 

The writer when a lad serving his apprenticeship cut on a 
lathe with a feed screw of y 2 -mch pitch a groove in a 1^2 -inch 
shaft to a depth of % inch, which had one turn in 3 feet 6 inches. 



158 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The method adopted was to use six change wheels and drive the 
feed screw with a pulley fixed to the side of the wheel on the screw. 
There was an open and cross belt on the countershaft, so that 
the motion could be reversed. Another belt ran from the counter- 
shaft to the pulley on lathe feed screw. The nut engaging the 
lathe saddle was not taken out of gear with the feed screw, but 
the saddle was run to and fro by reversing the motion of the 
screw. — 80 

CUTTING A CAM GROOVE WITH A LATHE 

The accompanying illustration, Fig. 141, shows how a cam 
groove was cut in a drum cam by means of an improvised milling 
attachment on a lathe. The problem was to duplicate a cam 
which had previously been cut. This was used as a pattern or 




Fig. 141 — Cutting a earn groove with a lathe 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 59 

form to guide the milling cutter while cutting the blank. The 
form A with the blank B were mounted on an arbor C, and placed 
between the lathe centers. They were connected to the face plate 
by means of a dog D. An arm E was bolted to the carriage, and 
was provided with a roller to engage the cam groove in the 
form. The carriage was disconnected from the feed screw, so 
that as the form revolved it would be fed by the roller and cam 
groove. A pulley K was mounted at the head of the lathe bed, and 
a cord running over this pulley was provided with a weight at 
one end, while its other end was attached to the carriage. In 
this way a constant tension in the direction of the headstock 
was maintained. On the cross-feed slide a bracket F was mounted, 
and this carried a shaft fitted with a pulley G. The fatter was 
belted to a wide pulley H on a separate countershaft above the 
lathe. The pulley H was in reality a drum long enough to accom- 
modate the belt as the carriage traveled across the face of the 
drum which was to be cut. The shaft of pulley G was provided 
with a socket to receive an end mill /. The latter was rotated at 
a suitable speed, by its connection with the pulley H, to cut the 
cam groove while the carriage was moved slowly toward the head- 
stock by the rotation of the form. The lathe was geared down 
to its lowest speed, and belted to a small pulley on the counter- 
shaft. — 42 

IMPROVED LATHE CHUCK 

Many of the standard bench-lathe chucks on the market present 
the disadvantage of having a very short gripping surface. It is 
also difficult at times to release the work from the draw-in chuck 
without tapping on the hand wheel. When the rear end of the 
collet has a larger hole than the front, the work is also constantly 
tossing about. The accompanying engraving shows the construc- 
tion of a lathe chuck which is designed to remedy these^ troubles. 
This chuck was especially built to hold drill rods from 3/16 to 
5/8 inch in diameter. The body is made of tool steel. The taper 
shank should first be fitted to the lathe in which the chuck is to 
be used, so that the latter may be inserted in the spindle and 



l60 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 






^3 

> 
o 

l-l 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



161 



finished. The nut A is made of machine steel and casehardened. 
It may be turned with a spanner wrench, holes being provided 
as shown. Collets of the required size are made of tool steel and 
hardened. The rear end of the collets have holes of the same size 
as the front, so as to prevent the work from being tossed about. 
A spring is inserted in the body of the chuck, which is held in 
position by a flanged collar B, which in turn is retained by dowel 
pins. When the collet is in position, it is forced against the collar 
and spring by nut A. When this nut is released, the spring forces 
the collet but and thus releases the work, which can be removed 
without trouble. These collets should be tempered so that the 
center is as soft as possible, to prevent their being easily broken. 
As will be seen by referring to the illustration, this chuck can be 
made in almost any shop without the use of special tools. — ij 



CORRECT SHAPE FOR LATHE DOG 

A clamp lathe dog should be balanced by making the straight 
jaw much wider, which gives the desired 
weight for balancing the opposite jaw 
that enters the face plate of the lathe. 
One can readily see the proportions in 
Fig. 143, which are just as tasty as those 
of an unbalanced dog. In turning small 
slender work which must revolve rapidly, 
the value of the balanced dog will be 
appreciated. 

With large work it does not make any 
material difference. — 6 

ACCURATELY SETTING THE SLIDE 

REST FOR TURNING 

PARALLEL WORK 

The mechanic using the slide rest 
dreads to work the swivel for ta- 
pered work after he has once set it on the graduation mark, 
because it is quite difficult to set it absolutely parallel. The 




Fig. 143 — Correct shape 
for the lathe dog 



102 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



slightest error in setting the swivel will be exaggerated three- 
fold in the work. When setting the slide rest with the attach- 
ment here shown, it is done accurately and very quickly. A 
small bracket is made and fastened on the slide rest with two 
machine screws. This holds an L-shaped piece marked A, which 
is pivoted on two pointed screws in the bracket. In setting the 




Fig. 144 — Device for setting the slide rest. 

slide rest for turning parallel work, the L-piece is simply swung 
up, allowing the swivel part of slide rest to engage it. — 6 



A PORTABLE POLISHING LATHE 

Some time ago the writer took an order to polish and nickd- 
plate the cylinder covers of a British battleship. Each cylinder 
weighed 4,000 pounds and each was 6 feet 6 inches in diameter ; 
and considering that nickel baths are no deeper than 33 inches 
and polishing spindles are only 2 feet long, the proposition was 
a tough one — a nut which couldn't be cracked by ordinary means. 

The cylinder covers arrived at the factory drawn by eight 
powerful horses, and even special tackle had to be devised to 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 1 63 

handle the big, unwieldy things. Every man and boy in the 
factory laughed at the idea of buffing and polishing them inside 
of a week. But the work was done on time. 

A steel spindle was made, measuring 33 inches long by 1 inch 
in diameter, and it was fitted with a brass bow handle to be held 
in the left hand. The spindle had at the center a grooved pulley 
to receive a rubber band running from a corresponding grooved 
pulley overhead. On the spindle a brass handle was mounted, 
which could be moved to any desired position and secured by 
means of pins which were fitted into holes in the spindle. The 
spindle revolved within the brass handle on the right side, and 
within the bow handle on the left side, and was freely run at 
2,000 revolutions per minute with perfect ease and smoothness. 




Fig. 145 — A portable polishing lathe 

The pulley, like the brass handle, was adjustable and could be 
secured in any desired position by pins in the spindle. 

The right end of the spindle was tapered and threaded to 
receive a polishing buff or emery wheel or other tool, which was 
secured thereon by a nut. This portable polishing lathe was made 
at small cost, and proved to be a decided success. In one short 
half day the cylinder cover was thoroughly buffed, and in another 
half day it was plated in three sections, by revolving it over the 
nickel bath. Then it was let down on the factory floor to be 
finally polished with walrus-hide buffs. One man squatted down 
on the floor, holding the portable polishing machine in his hands, 
and directing the rubber drive band running over the grooved 
pulley. The buff carried on the end of the spindle revolved at 
2,000 per minute over the surface of the cylinder cover, making 
the operation like child's play, so simple was it. — 28 



i6 4 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



HOLDER FOR GRINDERS 

A very simple device for holding dies and other work of similar 
shape while grinding on small emery wheels may be made as 
shown in the sketch. 

Between the top plate A and bottom plate B are two blocks, 
€ and D, of sufficient thickness to allow the work to pass freelv 




F £ 




K 1 ) 



jf 



-i — 



Fig. 146 — Holder for grinders 

between A and B. The block C has a knurled screw passing 
through it, which firmly holds the work against the block D. The 
latter is formed of a circular piece and may be clamped at any 
desired angle by means of a nut. 

The knurled screw E holds the work against the lower plate. 
All bolt heads are sunk flush with the bottom plate. H is a suit- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



165 



able rest for the above clamp. Its shank I is turned to take the 
place of the ordinary rest of a small emery wheel. By raising 
or lowering the rest, the required clearance is obtained. When 
the grinding is finished, the edge of the rest engages the shoulder 
K of the lower plate B, thus making it certain that each piece 
will be ground at the same angle and length. — 16 

CUTTING KEYWAYS ON A DIE SINKER 

The accompanying drawing shows the way in which a die 
sinker may be equipped for cutting keyways in piston rods and 




Fig. 147 — Cutting keyways on a die sinker 

valve stems and drift holes in drill and milling-machine sockets. 
Every machinist knows that it is quite a job to drill, chip, and 
file a keyway in a piston rod or valve stem. A device of this 
kind has proved itself to be just the thing for such work, and it 
can be made in any "one-horse" shop with very little cost. 



i66 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Fig. 147 shows the device and the way in which the work is 
clamped. Stand A is machined, and a dovetail is cut across its 
bottom to fit the dovetail of the knee of the machine. Slide B is 
machined to fit the top of A, and slotted crank disk C is attached 
to shaft D. A T-slot is cut half way across the face of the disk C 
to receive an adjustable crank-pin, which gives the slide B the 
stroke required for the keyways. Bracket E is attached to the 
side of the die sinker to receive a short shaft, one end of which 
carries pulley F, while the other end is connected by a universal 
coupling to the shaft D. Belt G passes over the driving shaft of 
the die sinker and around the pulley F, which drives the work to 
and fro while the keyway is being cut. The machine spindle is 
run at the required speed, and while the work is moving back 
and forth under the cutter it is fed up into the cutter by means of 
the elevating screw of the die sinker. This device is simple and 
practical in its construction, and is now used with perfect satis- 
faction in the shop where the writer works. — 17 

SCREW-SLOTTING ATTACHMENT FOR LATHES 

The accompanying drawing suggests a method of converting 
an old lathe or speed lathe into a screw-slotting machine. 




Fig. 148 — Screw-slotting attachment for lathes 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



167 



The angle plate A is secured to the bed of the lathe. In the 
vertical face of angle plate A is a dovetail groove, in which angle 
plate B fits, so as to afford an up-and-down motion. On the top 
face of angle plate B is a dovetail groove, in which slide plate C 
operates. Lever D pivots on swivel E, giving movement to slide 
plate C. Place the screw to be slotted into draw chuck F, and 
tighten on draw wheel G. With the fixture so placed on the lathe 
bed as to cut the screw centrally, the depth of the slot may be 
regulated by adjusting screw /. By moving the lever D, the 
screw is fed into the saw H. There is an elongated slot / in the 
angle plate B to allow the draw clutch to pass through and move 
back and forth. In angle plate A is a stud K to hold in position 
the adjusting screw /. 

By a little practice the screws may be slotted very rapidly. 



MICROMETER ATTACHMENT FOR THE MILLING MACHINE 

A practical and simple tool for accurate milling-machine work 
is shown in Figs. 149 and 150. 




Fig. 149 — The micrometer attach- 
ment used for centering work 
under an end mill 



Fig. i5o — Centering the work 
under a face mill 



l68 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

A common method of setting the work central with the cutter 
is to place a square on the plate of the machine, with the blade 
in contact with the work, and caliper between the upper end of 
the blade and the cutter, first on one side and then on the other. 
The cutter of course is central when the caliper reads the same on 
both sides. The graduations on the machine are also used. 

After working along these lines for some time, the writer made 
this micrometer attachment. The stock of the gage is shown as 
placed against the cutter, and the micrometer barrel is adjusted 
to make contact on the work. 

The work is adjusted until the micrometer reads alike on both 
sides. 

This tool is also handy on lathes, planers, shapers, and for a 
depth gage. — 17 

CRANKPIN TURNING DEVICE 

Some time ago we had a crankpin to true up on a double 
20 x 40-inch Corliss engine that was worn so out of round that 
the engine pounded like a steam hammer. As there was no 
crankpin-turning device available, and as all machinists know it 
is a heart-breaking job to attempt to file a crankpin 6^4 inches in 
diameter and 7^ inches long, round and square with the face of 
the crank, the writer proceeded to design the device illustrated. 
It is a cheap and simple rig, and answered the purpose as well 
as a $5 crankpin turner. It consists of two rings A and A', 
fastened together with three bars B set at 120 deg. apart, cap 
screwed to the inner finished faces of the bars. There are three 
bearing blocks C, which fit the diameter at the outer and enlarged 
end of the crankpin. The inner ring A' is bored to fit the 
shoulder E of the pin. A piece of finished square key steel is 
fitted and fastened with set screws to the rings A and A'. It 
acts as a guide or way for the tool carriage G. The tool car- 
riage, or the movable block to which the turning tool is fastened 
or clamped, has a square hole through it to fit the guide-bar F, 
and is free to move along it without wabbling. A hole is bored 
and tapped through the end of the carriage for the feed screw H. 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



169 



Attached to the end of the feed screw is a small rope sheave 
which is belted to the sheave part of the handle with a ^-inch 
rope, giving an automatic feed as the handle turns on its axis, 
while the machine is in operation. 




Fig. 151— An improvised crankpin turner 

In making a device of this kind, the hole in ring A' , prelimi- 
nary to the final finishing, should be left small, and the three 
bearing blocks should be cap-screwed to the spacers, the backs of 
the bearing blocks only being finished. When the spacers have 
been cap-screwed securely to the rings A and A' , the partly assem- 



170 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



bled machine should be chucked in a lathe, and the bearing blocks 
C bored and faced to fit the end of the crankpin. The hole in 
the ring A' should then be bored to fit that part of the enlarged 
pin nearest the crank. This being done, the square rail F , tool 
carriage, and feed screw can be put in place. On attaching the 
machine to the crankpin, the three bearing blocks are removed, 
the machine slid over the crankpin until the ring A fits over and 
against the enlarged end E of the pin and against the face of 
the crank. The bearing blocks C are then fastened in place, ready 
to do the work. A ring / is counterbored to fit ring A', as 
shown, and is then clamped against the arm of the crank with 
two bolts, one on each side. The necessary clearance is allowed 
in ring I, so as to allow ring A' to revolve when ring / is 
clamped securely agains the arm of the crankpin. — 17 

BORING CYLINDER BUSHINGS FOR LOCOMOTIVES 

We had some cast-iron cylinder bushings to bore and turn for 
locomotives. As there were about twenty-five bushings in the 




Fig. 152 — Boring a locomotive cylinder bushing 



lot to be machined, and we were in a big hurry to get the 
job out, we rigged up a special tool for the job. Fig. 152 shows 
the tool, and the way in which it was attached to a lathe. The 
boring head ' A, which is keyed to the bar B, had six dovetailed 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



171 



jnfi 



slots cut across its periphery. These slots were used for holding 
hard-wood blocks,-^, which fitted closely into the bore and guided 
the bar. A boring tool was clamped in the groove across the 
head, as shown, at C. The split sleeve D, which was fastened to 
the lathe carriage, supported one end of the boring bar, and the 
sleeve was clamped to the bar when boring, as the feeding was 
done by the lathe carriage. The bar was also supported by a 
steady-rest, as shown at E. Before the boring bar was placed in 
position, the end of the 
cylinder was trued up, 
as the outer end of the 
cylinder had to be sup- 
ported by a steady-rest 
F. In starting the cut, 
it was necessary to 
steady the bar by clamp- 
ing the sleeve D close to 
the boring head; but 
when the head had en- 
tered the cylinder, the 
sleeve was moved out as 
far as the bar would 
permit, and again 
clamped to the bar. The 
hard-wood blocks re- 
ferred to were used for 
the finishing cut. The 




Fig. 153— The adjustable centers 




Fig. 154 — The centers fitted into the 
cylinder 



cylinder bushings bored in this way were absolutely straight and 
true, and the work entirely satisfactory. After the bushings were 
bored, they had to be turned to suit the cylinders, and these centers 
were also made for the job. Fig. 153 shows the centers, and Fig. 
154 shows how they were used. Center head G is cast with three 
arms 120 deg. apart. A slot H is cut in each arm, and lugs / 
are fitted in the slot, allowing for the required adjustment. The 
inner end' of each lug is tapered off at 45 deg. angle, and the head 
of the stud L has the same taper as the lugs, and is screwed into 



I 7 2 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



the center head G, to adjust the lugs to suit the bushings. After 
the proper adjustment has been made, the lugs are locked with 
the bolts M, then the job is placed on the centers of the lathe and 
turned off to the required size. — 17 

FANS ON MACHINE TOOLS 
The writer recently saw in a Buffalo factory, two improvised 
fans attached to a large milling machine. The operator of the 
machine fastened on each of two rapidly rotating shafts a piece 
of tinned sheet iron, forming a fan about 12 inches long and 8 
inches wide. The tin plate was simply curled as closely about 
the shaft as possible, then tightened by means of a wooden wedge. 
The shafts rotate about 300 times a minute, hence the fans cause 
a delightfully cool breeze, which not only cools the operator, but 
also blows away the iron dust from his presence. Thus the oper- 
ator need inhale but little of such dust. 

Many thousand machine tenders in the land might profit by 
imitating this truly simple, useful, and cheap device. The fan 
does not cost three cents. — 84 

A MUFFLER FOR GAS ENGINES 
The handy man who lias a gasoline engine in his shop and 

which exhausts outside into the 
atmosphere may silence that dis- 
turber of peace somewhat in the 
manner shown in the accompanying 
illustration. It removes the sharp 
penetrating quality of the noise 
without causing any back pressure. 
The end of the exhaust pipe, which 
must be vertical in order to prevent 
clattering of the segments, is split 
into eight parts by means of longi- 
tudinal cuts made with a hack- 
saw. The cuts should extend 

Fig. I55 -The slotted exhaust for three 0f foUr feet in the ^- 
pipe serves as a muffler — 59 




HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



173 



AUTOMATIC LUBRICATING CUP 

In lubricating the reciprocating parts of vertical engines, there 
is considerable waste of oil, and the lamp wick dangling from 
the end of the oil pipe forms a collector of dust and grit, which 
is carried to the bearings. The waste of oil is due principally to 
the fact that when the engine stops the oil still continues feeding, 
and drops into the crank pit rather than into the oil cup. 

Much of this can be avoided 

by the use of an oil cup such C 
as shown in the accompany- 
ing sketch. It consists of a 
cup of the usual shape hav- 
ing inside a mushroom- 
shaped valve B, which is 
ground to a tight seat at E. 
The stem D passes through 
a clearance hole C, in the bot- 
tom of the cap. When the 
cup is filled with oil, the 
mushroom valve prevents its 
flow as long as the engine is 
at rest. 

The cup is placed directly 
over the oil cup which is to 
receive the oil, and which 
moves in a vertical direction. 

By means of adjusting screws its height is so arranged that the 
stem of the valve is raised slightly as the oil cup comes to the top, 
thus allowing a small amount of oil to pass inside the valve and 
flow down the stem. The receiving cup should be filled with 
horsehair, to rub off the necessary oil from the stem. 

The oil flows only when the engine runs, and in proportion to 
the speed of the engine. 

No time is lost nor oil wasted in shutting off the supply when 
the engines are stopped, and the stem can be easily wiped clean. 




Fig. 156— An automatic lubricating 
cup 



174 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

This cup could be used on horizontal engines by a slight modi- 
fication of the stem ; but on vertical marine engines, as on tugs, 
where the engine is run intermittently, the writer has seen it do 
good service and save many times its cost in oil, labor, and hot 
bearings. — 21 

A HYDRAULIC TEST FOR THE BOILER 

Some time ago my boiler engine was frozen up in a cold snap, 
and I wished to give my boiler a hydraulic test before steaming 
up again, to see if it was fit for business. I had no force pump 
or apparatus of any kind, yet I tested the boiler to the desired 
pressure, 100 pounds. I have had conversations with engineers 
since then, and not one of them could tell me how to make such 
a test without any apparatus, so I believe the idea may be useful 
for Handy Man's Workshop. I filled the boiler completely with 
water, leaving no air space whatever, then built a small fire 
under the boiler, and as the cold water warmed up and expanded, 
I watched the pressure gage rise until it reached the desired 
testing pressure, when I opened one of the try cocks, allowing 
a small quantity of water to escape and relieve the pressure. 
Having found things O. K., I drained water from the boiler to 
the proper level and proceeded to get up steam. — 47 

METHOD OF PATCHING A BOILER 

The following method of bolting a patch on a boiler perhaps 
shows some originality. It was required to patch the bottom of 
a combustion chamber of a very old boiler, badly pitted on the 
water side. Riveting was impossible for want of space. The 
patch was five feet by two, fitted on the fire side, and the greatest 
difficulty to overcome was to make the bolts watertight, owing 
to the impossibility of driving them or getting a contact under 
the heads against the bad plates. Gaskets did not appeal to the 
repairer, and a metallic contact was aimed at. This was accom- 
plished by making each bolt act as an ordinary miter-seated valve. 
They were turned a hand-workable fit (all but the last % inch, 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



17 



/5 



which was tight) to reamed holes of steel, and case-hardened, 
fitted in from the water side, and hammered up with a spanner. 
The ''seat" was sunk into the boiler plates. There were alto- 




Fig. 157 — Bolting a patch on a boiler 

gether 128 bolts in the patch. The job when finished passed a 
government inspector's examination, and steamed from Honolulu 
to San Francisco without mishap. — 46 

STRAIGHTENING BUCKLED CASTINGS 

It is a rare occurrence for long castings to leave the molds 
perfectly true and level. When cooling off in the sand, they 
often buckle out of shape. It is necessary, as in the case of 
drainage cover castings, for instance, to have them level, so that 
when the horses and vehicles pass over them, they will not tilt 
or shake. These castings are 
usually straightened In the 
blacksmith's shop in the fol- 
lowing manner: 

Take, for example, a grat- 
ing like that shown here, 
which is used by street rail- 
ways to allow the surface 
water to drain into the 
sewers, and which has to fit very snugly the recess of the trap 
box in which it lies. The casting is placed in the fire, and 
heated to a dark cherry red, when it is taken out and placed 
upon the anvil upside down. Two blocks of iron, about the size 
of a half brick, are placed at either end of the casting, and a 



DIP P_D.II DO OJ.D D_DD D.I fl.0 1 1 


To o wo n id o o o"o of olio "o'a Coo o 


w— 1 


Fig. 158— Straightening buckled 
castings 



I76 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

section of car rail the length of the casting is placed on top. A 
couple of clamps are slipped over the rail and casting, in the 
center or where the buckling of the casting appears. The bolts 
of the clamps are then screwed up, at the same time using the 
wrenches with a quick turn, until the hollowness of the grating 
is about one-eighth of an inch more than necessary, which is 
tried by means of a straight edge. When the clamps are re- 
moved, the hollowness will be gone, and the casting will be found 
to be perfectly level. — 3 

REPAIRING RAILROAD PICKS 

The body of a pick is generally made of a low-grade steel, but 
the points are either of cast steel or high-grade tool steel. 

On account of the body being of a low grade, it is no unusual 
thing for an energetic laborer, when hammering the pick down 
upon the helve or handle, to split the eye or even burst it open. 

For this reason, in one of the railroad shops, where many of 
these picks are repaired, the blacksmith conceived the idea of 
drilling two holes near either side of the eye, as shown in No. 1, 
and inserting a couple of countersunk rivets, after which he de- 
clared that very few picks came to him for repairs in that par- 
ticular spot. But to my mind the best wrinkle he gave to me 
was in welding the steel points on the ends. 

No. 2, at the right-hand side, shows one of the usual manners 
of doing this. The ends of the pick are split open for a little 
way, to take the point, which is made wedge shape at one end, 
and the whole welded together and brought to a point, as in No. 
1. But it was noticed that when these same energetic laborers 
used their picks for levers, they came back to the shop with the 
points missing, and wide open jaws, as shown to the left of No. 2. 

Another method, called the German, I believe, is to weld a 
piece of steel on one side of the point, as shown to the right of No. 
3. When any of these came back, they were worse than the first, 
for they came back not only minus the point, but the half- 
welded jaw. 

It will also be seen that in both of the cases mentioned, the 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



1/7 



ij wear and tear of the pick is on the low-grade steel jaws as much 
as the high-grade steel points. So instead of splitting open the 
ends of the pick, the blacksmith split the steel point as shown to 







Fig. 159 — Repairing railroad picks 

the right of No. 4. When these came back to the shop for re- 
pairs, they were generally as seen to the left of No. 4, anji only 
needed the points put to the emery wheels. — 3 



CHAPTER V. 

THE HANDY MAN'S EXPERIMENTAL 
LABORATORY 

CHEMICAL FLASKS FROM ELECTRIC LIGHT GLOBES. 

To those who work in chemistry, whether as amateurs or pro- 
fessionals, there is no more useful piece of apparatus than a flask. 
Anyone who can procure old electric light globes can make all 
the flasks he needs in a short time and at practically no expense. 
Globes of various dimensions, from the small 2 candle-power to 
a 32 candle-power, may be used, thus giving a number of dif- 
ferent sizes. 

All the apparatus or tools needed are a Bunsen burner if gas is 
available, if not, a gasoline torch, and a three-cornered file. First 
hold the base of the lamp in the flame a few moments, until the 
wax holding it on is sufficiently softened to allow of pushing off 
the brass base with the tang of the file. Clean most of the wax 
off the glass, and with the file carefully make a scratch all around 
the glass just back of the place where the tube holding the filament 
is sealed in. The end will then, if struck a light glancing blow, 
break out, leaving a clean round hole. With a little practice this 
can be accomplished quickly and neatly. Now hold the sharp edges 
of the opening in the globe in the flame until soft, and quickly, 
with the tang of the file, smooth down and turn out the edge into 
a sort of a flange, taking care to keep the hole round. When the 
globe has cooled, hold it with a cloth and place the large end in 
the flame until it softens. Then press it down on a dry board un- 
til the bottom is sufficiently flattened to make the flask "steady on 
its legs.'' The flask is now finished with the exception of anneal- 
ing. When several of the flasks are finished, they should be 
placed in a vessel of brine and gradually heated up to the boil- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



!/9 



ing point, and then set aside to cool. They can now be used in 
the same way as the ordinary commercial flask. — 76 

STOPCOCK OF GLASS TUBING 

A small stopcock may be easily made out of two glass tubes 
and a rubber sleeve. The outside diameter of one tube is smaller 
than the inside diameter of the other. The end of the smaller tube 
is softened in the flame of a Bunsen burner and closed. With a 
file a small slot is cut in the side of this tube. A piece of rubber 
tubing is fitted over the two glass tubes, as shown in Fig. 164. 
The smaller tube is not held so tightly by the rubber sleeve as 
is the larger tube, and it will slide quite readily therein. When 
the smaller tube is drawn outward, the rubber sleeve covers the 




Fig. 160- Stopcock oi' glass tubing 

slot therein, preventing the passage of liquids or gases through 
the two tubes. To open the cock, the smaller tube is forced in- 
ward, as shown in the sectional view, and the liquids or gases can 
then flow freely through the two tubes by way of the slot in the 
smaller tube. 

STARTING DEVICE FOR SIPHONS 

How to start a siphon running is sometimes quite a problem. 
If the liquid that is to be siphoned off is harmless, the siphon 
tube may be filled by suction with the mouth at the end of the 
longer arm. But this is not always very pleasant, and sometimes 
it is even dangerous if the liquid is of a poisonous nature. The 
accompanying engraving illustrates a method by which the siphon 
may be started by compression instead of suction. The idea is 
so old that probably it is new to many. The device consists of a 



1 8o 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



large test tube, in the open end of which a cork is fitted, while in 

the opposite end a small hole is cut by 
means of a file. A glass marble is placed 
in the tube, and serves as a valve to close 
the opening. Through the cork the 
shorter leg of the siphon is run, and also 
a small bent tube. The outer end of the 
latter tube is placed in the mouth, and 
on blowing into the test tube the com- 
pression serves to close the valve and at 
the same time force the liquid through 
the siphon. As soon as the pressure is 
relieved, the liquid in the vessel will flow 
up through the opening in the test tube, 
and continue running off through the si- 
phon. The shorter leg of the siphon ex- 
tends to within a short distance of the 
ball valve, so as to limit the motion of the latter, and prevent it 
from striking the glass with a blow sufficiently hard to break it. 

HOW TO OBTAIN FRESH WATER FROM SEA WATER 

A common method of getting salt from sea water is to place 
the liquid in shallow vats, and expose it to the sun until the 
water is evaporated. Someone has suggested that the same pro- 




Fig. 161 — Starting device 
for siphons 




Fig. 162 — A simple apparatus for distilling fresh water from sea water 



cess of separation be used to get fresh water out of the sea water. 
Cover the vat with a pane of glass which is tilted slightly. The 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



181 



radiant heat of the sun passing through the glass will evaporate 
the water, and the vapor condensing on the under side of the 
glass will run down the inclined surface and drip into a trough. 
A receptacle at one side will catch the fresh water that flows from 
the trough. The condensation may be expedited by pouring water 
over the glass. The glass will thus be chilled without interfering 
with the passage of the sun's rays into the vat. 

AN ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED GAS REGULATOR 

In some work which is being carried on at various fixed tem- 
peratures, accurate and reliable gas regulation is required. The 
following regulator has proved 
entirely satisfactory : £ 

In Fig. 163 A is a U-tube of 
glass, of about 8 millimeters in- 
ternal diameter. This is provided 
with a side tube B, and is en- 
larged at the top for the recep- 
tion of a small rubber stopper C. 
Through this stopper passes a 
tube D, the external diameter of 
which is 1 millimeter less than 
the internal diameter of the U- 
tube. The U-tube is filled with 
mercury to the level E a milli- 
meter or so below the end of the 
tube D. The weight F is a 
piece of iron about 7 millimeters 
in diameter and 15 to 20 milli- 
meters long. This is suspended 
freely from a hook, G, on the 
armature of an electro-magnet, 
H. The armature is held up by 

a spring which is fastened rigidly to a support. The spring is 
adjusted to support the weight but to yield quickly to the magnet. 
The length of the hook G must be such that its end will have a 




Fig. 163 — Flccrically-controlled 
gas regulator 



1 82 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

vertical motion of i or 2 millimeters. More motion than this is 
not required, but will do no harm. The suspension of the weight 
must be flexible and free rather than rigid, so that the weight 
acts simply by its own weight on the mercury. If the sudden 
motion of the armature be rigidly and suddenly transmitted to 
the mercury, the mercury may be caused to splash into the side 
tube 7. 

The gas enters through tube D and, normally, flows under the 
lower end of this tube up through the annular space about it and 
out to the burner through the side tube B. When the electro- 
magnet is actuated the lowering of the weight F causes a corre- 
sponding elevation of the mercury in the other leg of the tube, 
which cuts off the gas. A pinhole at / keeps the burner lit. In 
constructing the apparatus, two or three very small pinholes may 
be made and closed with paraffin. One or more of these may 
be opened with a hot needle as the size of the burner or stove 
may require for a pilot flame, or the burner may be supplied with 
an independent supply of gas to keep it lit. The surface tension 
of mercury is so great that though the weight F fits only loosely 
in the tube, the mercury will not enter the annular space around 
it. Thus the weight acts as well as an airtight piston. On the 
other side the pressure of the gas is not sufficient to drive the 
mercury into the annular space there. To take full advantage of 
this, the gas should enter through the central tube D and go out 
at B, and not the reverse. A motion of only about 1 millimeter 
is required for the weight F , and as this weighs only about 7 
grammes, the work required of the electro-magnet is very slight. 

For the electro-magnet an ordinary electric bell of the cheapest 
form may be used, the vibratory make-and-break being short- 
circuited and the bell removed. The weight may then be hung 
on the end of the clapper. The magnet should be wound up to 
20 ohms to economize current. 

The apparatus may be controlled by any of the forms of elec- 
trical regulators on the market, in which a contact is made when 
a certain temperature is exceeded and broken when the tempera- 
ture goes down. As these regulators may be made of extreme 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



183 



sensitiveness, the regulation of temperature to any required accu- 
racy may be accomplished. 

The advantage of this form of regulator is that it can be made 
quickly and easily out of materials at hand in the chemical labo- 
ratory. It may be readily cleaned. The large gas opening per- 
mits of much fouling of the mercury before cleaning is required. 

In Fig. 164 is shown another way of using the same principle. 
In this a block of cast iron, about 2 x 2 x 24 inches or 60 x 60 x 18 
millimeters, is taken and the 
tubes made by drilling holes in 
it. As the most of these corre- 
spond to the tubes in the other 
figure and are lettered the same 
way, they will not be redescribed. 
The main holes may be the same 
size as the tubes in the other 
figure, or may be of any size 
suitable for the supply of gas re- 
quired. A plug, K, may be used 
to regulate the height of the mer- 
cury in the U-tube. Should the 
mercury become foul, it may be 
removed by taking out this plug, 
cleaned, and replaced. The in- 
let tube is made in the shape 
shown, its lower part being 
turned down, so as to leave the proper space for the gas. Its 
upper portion is threaded with a straight thread, so as to screw 
into the block. When it is put in place, the lock nut L is screwed 
on firmly over the lead washer M. Then the hole N is drilled 
through the block and into the tube D. The outer end of this 
hole is closed by a screw plug provided with a lead washer. A 
hole is drilled so as to intersect the hole N. This is continued 
by the small hole O, which opens into the outlet B. A pointed 
screw P serves as a needle valve to regulate the by-pass and supply 
any amount of gas desired to keep the burner or stove lit. 




Fig. 



164— Another form of gas 
regulator 



184 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

A gas-pipe thread may be cut on the extreme upper end of D, 
and the supply pipe screwed on directly. The hole B is tapped to 
receive the iron gas pipe for the burner. The advantage of this 
form over the other is that being entirely of metal it is unbreak- 
able and compact and eliminates any fear of fire. The operation 
is the same as that of the other form. — yj 

A HOME-MADE BAROMETER 

As is well known, a barometer is nothing more than a con- 




Fig. 165 — Filling the mercury tube 

trivance for measuring the weight of the air. A glass tube closed 
at one end and filled with mercury, then immersed in a bath of 
the mineral without the admission of air, is an elementary form 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



185 



of the instrument. When the tube is upright, the column of 
quicksilver is seen to fall four or five inches, leaving a vacuum 
at the top. It will be evident that the height of the mercury in 
the tube responds to the variations in the weight of the atmo- 
sphere pressing on the bath of mercury. The relations of the 
movements of the 
"glass" to the 
weather are of course 
simple enough. When 
the atmosphere is 
heavy it causes the 
mercury column to 
rise, indicating fair 
weather ; and con- 
versely when the at- 
mosphere is tinder 
low pressure the mer- 
cury column sub- 
sides, indicating the 
approach of a storm. 
For the construc- 
tion of a home-made 
barometer, purchase 
about three-quarters 
of a pound of mer- 
cury, a glass tube 
three feet in length 
and closed at one end, 
and a small glass 
receptacle four or 
five inches long. This should be large enough to take the end 
of the long glass tube, allowing a quarter of an inch or so all 
around. The wood necessary for the construction of the frame 
is likely to be found in almost any house. It is desirable that this 
work should be taken in hand in the first place. To make the 
frame take a board about three feet three inches long- and four 




Fig. 166 — Inserting the tube in the 
mercury receptacle 



1 86 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



inches wide ; make the whole nice and smooth. Now cut two 
strips of wood, say thirty inches long and one and a quarter inches 
in width. Screw these to the board far enough apart to allow 
the glass tube to be dropped in between them, at the same time 
taking care to place them four inches from the bottom of the 

board. Along the bottom of 
the board fasten a strip of 
wood sufficiently wide to sup- 
port the glass receptacle. 
Add two pieces of wood to 
either side of the board, these 
to run up to where the two 
long strips terminate. In 
this way will be formed the 
three sides of a little box. A 
piece for the top of the box 
must have an archway 
scooped out in the center to 
allow for the passage of the 
tube. A square piece of thin 
wood may be cut to form the 
lid of the box. After apply- 
ing some stain to give the 
wood a finish the frame is 
complete. 

i The next matter for con- 
sideration is the filling of the 
small glass receptacle and the 
tube with mercury. In fill- 
ing the tube a funnel formed 
out of a sheet of paper will be found useful. When the tube 
is full, place the finger over the orifice. Then invert the tube, 
and without admitting any air immerse the end in the mer- 
cury contained in the receptacle. This is likely to be rather a 
difficult undertaking, and perhaps the_best way of all to accom- 
plish it is to tie a piece of skin or leather very tightly over the 




Fig. 167 — The tube immersed in the 
mercury receptacle 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



187 



upper end of the tube after it is full ; then immerse, and finally 
cut away with a penknife the twine which binds the skin. If this 
has been accomplished without letting in any air, the column of 
mercury will be observed to fall, several inches. If atmospheric 
bubbles are to be seen working their way upward, the tube must 
be refilled. 




Fig. 168— Fastening the tube to the frame 



The tube and receptacle must now be carefully removed to the 
case. The contrivance is best fixed into its position by looping 
wire round the tube in about four places, and twisting these 
tightly at the back. The scale is easily prepared. Consult a 
reliable barometer in quiet weather, and when this stands at 30.00, 
make a slight mark in the woodwork opposite the level of the 



i88 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



mercury in the home-made article. On a piece of paper rule out 

your scale for the two sides 
of the glass to the extent of 
about four inches ; dividing 
each into tenths. Put the 
central inch at 30.00, and 
number the inches up and 
down accordingly. Paste the 
slips of paper on either side 
of the tube, and cover the 
receptacle with the lid which 
has already been prepared, 
and the instrument is com- 
plete. The barometer should 
be kept in an upright posi- 
tion, and must never be hung 
where the sun will fall on it. 
It is not claimed that this 
contrivance will work with 
extraordinary accuracy, but 
if reasonable precautions are 
taken in its construction, the 
instrument should record the 
variations in pressure with 
fair reliability. — 88 
SCALE FOR BAROMETERS 
The indications of a barometer being dependent on the relative 
movements of the mercurial column, the scales here described 
are intended to afford a simple means for the necessary compara- 
tive observations. 

Referring to the diagram, it will be seen there are the usual 
scales on both sides of the tube divided into inches and tenths; 
outside these are movable pieces — indices — arranged to be moved 
up or down, and be held where placed by a flat spring behind 
each. Across the center of the indices is a line lettered "Settled," 
and other lettering is as shown, which is, however, entirely arbi- 




Fig. 169— The scale in place 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



189 



trary. One of these indices is labeled "For To-day," and the 
other "For To-night/' 

In use the day index is set with the "settled" line even with 
the top of the mercurial column at 9 o'clock in the evening; the 
night index being set in the same way at 
9 o'clock in the morning. each day. The 
reading of either index holds good until 
the time arrives for setting the other index, 
and then remains an indication of the gen- 
eral barometric tendency for the preceding 
twelve hours. 

These indices, used as described, take 
the barometer somewhat out of the scien- 
tific class, and place it on a plane where it 
may become of everyday popular interest 
and utility. 

It is known that rising barometer gen- 
erally means improved weather conditions, 
while falling barometer indicates the oppo- 
site ; but the direction of the wind should 
be considered in connection with the 
barometric indications ; as changing barom- 
eter with a given wind may indicate sim- 
ply an approaching change of temperature, 
while with a different wind the change 
would be of a general character. The 
changes which follow a rapid rise or fall 
of volume, though likely to be very 
marked, are not usually very lasting. 

Daily observations of a barometer and the general weather 
conditions will be found most interesting and instructive when 
assisted by these handy "indices." — 23 

A HOME-MADE AIR THERMOMETER 

Among the various instruments which have been devised for 
the measurement of temperature, the air thermometer has the 
distinction of being the first form of any value. It was invented 




Fig. 170— A conveni- 
ent scale for bar- 
ometers 



I90 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

probably by Galileo about the year 1593, and was used to a con- 
siderable extent by physicians ; but its readings were deceptive, 
for at that time the influence of atmospheric pressure was un- 
known. Galileo invented the alcohol thermometer, eighteen years 
later, and this more accurate and at the same time more simple 
instrument almost entirely superseded the older form. 

In some ways however the air thermometer is more efficient 
than either the mercury or alcohol thermometer. Since it is 
based on the principle of expansion of a gas, the air thermometer 
is very sensitive, and offers a large register for a small change in 
temperature. The reason for this greater susceptibility to heat is 
evident from the following data. The coefficient of expansion 
of air is 0.003665, or approximately 1-273 °f the volume; the 
coefficient of mercury is 0.0001815, or 1-55 10. Thus, a cubic 
centimeter of air, upon the application of one ^egree Centigrade 
of heat, will expand about twenty times as much as an equal 
volume of mercury. Besides this, a greater quantity of air than 
mercury can be conveniently utilized for expanding. 

A simple air thermometer can easily be made. The materials 
needed are : A thin, hollow sphere or bulb of glass, about two 
inches in diameter, having as an outlet a glass stem from eight 
to twelve inches long, of about one-eighth inch inside diameter. 
A bottle of considerable weight, about three inches in diameter 
and from three to five inches high, is necessary. (Any ordinary 
rather small bottle will do.) This should be half filled with eosin 
solution or otherwise colored water. A cork stopper for the 
bottle, having a hole through it large enough to admit the glass 
stem. The stem must now be partially filled with the eosin solu- 
tion. This can be done by warming the sphere with the hand, 
and holding the end of the stem under the surface of the liquid. 
Some of the expanded air is expelled, and when the hand is 
removed from the bulb, the eosin solution rises gradually in the 
tube to fill the sphere made vacant by the contraction of the 
cooling air. If temperature changes not far from the normal 
are to be registered, the eosin should stand finally at somewhat 
over half way up the tube. It is rather difficult to reach a satis- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



I 9 I 



factory result sometimes, and several trials may be necessary. 
They are easily repeated, of course, for the liquid already in the 
tube can be driven out by warming the bulb again. 

Two grooves, running lengthwise, should be cut into the sides 
of the stopper to provide for free communication between the 
air in the bottle and the outside 
atmosphere. It is essential that 
the bottle should not be corked air- 
tight, since this condition would 
cause a counter pressure of the air 
in the bottle whenever the air in 
the bulb is expanded. When the 
cork stopper has been put in, and 
the stem of the glass sphere in- 
serted so that the end of the tube 
is under the surface of the liquid, 
the air thermometer is complete. 
A scale of degrees marked on card- 
board may be put back of the tube, 
or the gradations may be scratched 
on the glass itself, but the readings 
will be inaccurate, for they will 
vary with every barometric varia- 
tion, since the air pressure on the 
liquid in the bottle fluctuates. In 
only a modified and rather complex 
form can the air thermometer be 
relied upon for exact measurement. 

The delicacy in action of the air thermometer makes it very 
useful in detecting sudden local changes in temperature. Inter- 
esting experiments can be performed with it; for instance, if a 
piece of filter paper saturated with ether is placed on the bulb, 
the eosin quickly rises because of the heat absorbed in evapora- 
tion. Because of its inconsistencies in readings, however, it is 
wrongly named as a definite measurer of temperature, for it is 
really only a thermoscope. — 15 




Fig. 171 — A home-made air 
thermometer 



I 9 : 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



HOW TO MAKE AN ELECTRICAL ANEMOMETER 

The velocity of the wind is usually measured by noting the 
rate of rotation of a small wheel driven by the wind. In the 
instrument described below, the pressure of the wind is used as 



<?-s 




Fig 172 — Details of the electrical anemometer 



a measure of its velocity. A thin board is backed by a spring, 
which is held into the wind by a vane. The compression of the 
spring is determined by means of a weighted cord attached to 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I93 

the board and which passes through a tube to a convenient loca- 
tion within the building. In Fig. 172 the board against which 
the wind presses is indicated at A. It must be 1 foot square, and 
is preferably made of Y\ -inch stuff and secured to a brass tube B 
30 inches long by means of two nuts, one at each side of the 
board. The vane C is cut from a board 30 inches long by 6 
inches wide and ^J of an inch thick. A piece of strap iron, D, is 
fastened to one end of the board, and projects above it. A hole 
is drilled through the strap iron to receive the tube B, which rides 
over a roller, E, and under a second roller, F, fastened on the 
upper edge of the vane. Between the board A and the strap 
iron is a brass spring of No. 15 wire about 16 inches long, which 
loosely fits over the tube B. The vane is mounted on a pipe G, 
which passes up through the roof of the building. Three screw- 
eyes are secured. The shank of one is chipped off, leaving a 
ring which is soldered fast to the pipe at H, forming a collar 
thereon to prevent the vane C from sliding down the pipe. The 
-other two screw-eyes, I, are fitted over the pipe G after being 
screwed into the board C through holes in strap iron D. A small 
pulley, J, is secured to the board C directly over the pipe G, and 
a cord, K, of suitable length attached to the board A passes over 
this pulley and through the pipe to the indicating mechanism 
within the building. 

According to statistics recently published, the wind pressure 
to the square foot at different velocities is as follows : 

10 miles per hour 0.37 pounds 

15 miles per hour 0.76 pounds 

20 miles per hour 1.27 pounds 

25 miles per hour 1.90 pounds 

30 miles per hour 2.64 pounds 

35 miles per hour 3.50 pounds 

40 miles per hour 4.44 pounds 

45 miles per hour 5.50 pounds 

50 miles per hour 6.66 pounds 

55 miles per hour. . 7.80 pounds 

60 miles per hour 9.22 pounds 



194 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

By attaching a weight to the cord K of say 1.90 pounds, we 
will be able to determine how much the board A will be pressed 
back out of its normal position by a wind of 25 miles per hour. 
A board should be placed at a suitable position in the building, 
with a pulley, L, at each end to guide the cord across it. A small 
brass roller, M, should be introduced into the cord between the 
pulleys L. The method of attaching the roller is indicated in the 
enlarged detail view. On the board over which the roller is 
adapted to pass are a number of brass bars, each electrically con- 
nected to a separate magnet N, while the other terminal of each 
magnet is connected to the battery O, and the circuit is thence 
continued by a wire running to the roller M. In this way, as 
the plate A is forced back, the roller M travels across the brass- 
bars and successively energizes the magnets N. These magnets 
are placed under a dial face, and an armature is pivoted before 
them in such a way as to be attracted by the energized magnet, 
causing a needle P to move over the dial face and indicate 
thereon the velocity of the wind, as shown by its pressure against 
the plate A. 

The weights, which must be fastened to the cord in order to 
show the location of the brass contact bars, may be made as 
follows : Procure a piece of thick cardboard, and trim it until 
it weighs exactly a quarter of a pound. Then divide the card- 
board into 25 equal parts, and each part when it is cut out will 
weigh approximately 1/100 of a pound. With these small weights 
it will be an easy matter to make up the weights called for in the 
table above to represent the pressures at the various wind veloci- 
ties. A small sinker should be tied to the end of the string, to 
keep it taut. A %. -pound weight and twelve of the 1 /100-pound 
weights, making 37/100 in all, are now tied to the end of the 
string, and a pencil mark is made on the board where the roller 
touches it. This shows where the first contact bar should be 
placed, representing a wind velocity of 10 miles per hour. In 
the same way the positions of the other bars are found. To 
eliminate errors due to stretching of the cord K as the heavier 
weights are attached to it, a second cord may be used to carry 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



195 



the weights by which the board A is drawn back while the posi- 
tions of the contact bars are being determined. 

To make the indicating instrument, procure a piece of jeweler's 
tubing with an outside diameter of not over 3/32 of an inch and 
an inside diameter as large as an ordinary hatpin. The tubing R 
is fitted into a hole in the center of an ordinary nail, S, and the 
pointed end of a hatpin is driven into the baseboard of the instru- 
ment through the tubing to form a center for the armature 5* to 
revolve upon. A short piece of soft iron is soldered to the end 
of the nail at right angles as shown at T. The magnets N are 
mounted on small brackets U, with their poles facing the center 
of the armature and in close proximity to the path of the piece T 
as it is swung about. The needle P, which is soldered to the 
upper end of the tubing R, will travel with the armature over the 
dial face V, which is graduated to show the various wind 
velocities. — 73 

GYROSCOPE MADE FROM A BICYCLE 

The accompanying illustration, Fig. 173, shows how a good- 
sized gyroscope can be made out of an old bicycle. The turn- 




n 
ft 



::::;::C:r^m 



Fig. 173 — Bicycle wheel gyroscope 



table A is furnished with a ball-bearing mounting by attaching 
it to bicycle pedal. The pedal is secured on a stand, to which 
the pedal spindle is bolted. An ordinary bicycle wheel is indi- 



I96 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

cated at B with its axis extended, by screwing on a pipe in place 
of the ordinary nuts. At one end of the axis is a hook, C, by 
which the wheel may be hung and be swung as a pendulum to 
show the curious path taken when the wheel is spinning hori- 
zontally, and also how it resists any change to its plane of rota- 
tion. D D are supports with grooves in which the extended axis 
can rest. Stops E E E are to prevent the wheel from sliding 
down the groove when its axis is raised toward the vertical. The 
apparatus is worked as follows : 

First. Placing the wheel B in between the supports D D, the 
turntable can be spun round, to show that the wheel remains 
inert when not spinning; spin the wheel (which can be done by 
the hand quite fast enough), and on revolving the turntable the 
wheel rises toward the vertical, as shown in sketch, supporting 
itself. Reverse the direction of the turntable, and the opposite 
end rises with similar results. 

Second. Remove the wheel from the turntable, and place the 
axis on one of the supports D D, so that it comes between the 
stops E E. The other end is held in the hand until the wheel is 
spun, when it will revolve in the usual manner of gyroscopes, 
carrying the turntable with it. — 25 

THE ELASTIC PENDULUM 

By elastic pendulum is here meant a weight so suspended that 
more or less of the suspension is in the form of a spiral spring, 
so that the weight is capable of two movements in one plane — 
the usual pendulum vibration, and a vibration along the sus- 
pension. A very simple apparatus for readily and accurately 
finding centrifugal force may be constructed as shown in Fig. 
174. As this is an experiment often given in laboratory courses, 
it is believed that a really accurate method will be welcomed. 
A small brass rod or tube about 125 centimeters long carries at 
the top a hollow adjustable weight, A. Below this a cylinder, B, 
of hard rubber, having two knife edges, C, and a yoke from which 
depend two spiral springs. Springs from cast-away shade rollers 
are excellent for this purpose. The springs support a weight, W, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY I97 

of about 700 grammes. As shown in the figure, the rod runs 
through the weight upon four grooved rollers E, mounted upon 
conical bearings. Above the weight is an adjustable collar, F. 
For convenience the vertical distance, C — G, is made ioo centi- 
meters. 

In use the apparatus is suspended from its knife edges, the 
spring is stretched by a weight of about 200 grammes and the 
collar F is set to hold the weight in the stretched position of the 
spring. Now take the vertical distance between the knife edges 
and the middle of the weight, and calculate the time of vibration 
of a simple pendulum whose length is this distance. Vibrate 
the apparatus through a small arc, and adjust the weight A until 
the time of vibration is that above calculated. No great care is 
demanded in this adjustment. ' A circular arc of one meter radius, 
divided to thirds of a degree, is placed under the pendulum, so 
that G is at its zero point. Such an arc can be very quickly made 
upon wood or cardboard with a rule, a pair of dividers, and a 
table of chords. Put a loop of thread around the weight W , and 
pull it up the arc. It will be readily seen that upon releasing 
the weight at some particular point of the arc, the central accelera- 
tion at its fall will exactly balance the tension of the spring. 
This point can be found to a fraction of a degree after a few 
trials, and is indicated by a slight tick caused by the weight 
leaving the collar and returning against it. Call the angle so 
found 0, the distance through which the weight falls vertically S, 
and V its acquired velocity, we now have : 
S = r versin and 
V 2 = 2 g r versin 9 

WV 2 

But the centrifugal force F — and therefore : 

gr 
F = 2 W versin 
The result is readily verified by adding weights to W until it just 
leaves the collar.- Several trials have shown an agreement well 
within one per cent. 

A weight swinging from the end of a spiral spring traces an 



198 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



interesting variety of curves, according to the ratio of the pendu- 
lum and vertical periods. The ratio may be varied by making 
more or less of the suspension of inelastic string, and varying 
the suspended weight. A ring is screwed into the ceiling of a 
high room, and through this ring a string is passed and to the 
hanging end of the string is attached the spring and weight. The 
weight is a brass tube about 10 centimeters long, having a bail 





Fig. 175 — Curve obtained when weight 
is drawn aside and lifted — ratio 1/1 




Fig. 174 — Details of the 
elastic pendulum 



Fig. 176— When weight is deflected and 
raised — ratio % 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



I 99 



at the top and a plug of lead at the bottom. The weight may be 
added to by putting shot in the tube. A record of the curve 
traced by the moving weight is obtained by attaching a "pea" 
lamp to the lower end of the weight ; supplying this with current 
from two very light wires coming in from one side, and photo- 
graphing this light by a camera placed vertical to the plane in 
which the pendulum swings. A lamp may be selected giving 




Fig. 177 — When deflected and depressed — ratio ^ 

practically a point source, and the small wires do not sensibly 
affect the motion of the pendulum. 

First case: When the ratio is 1/1. It was not /found possible 
to exactly produce this ratio with springs of brass or steel ; the 
vertical vibration being too fast when the whole suspension was 
spring. The best that could be done was a ratio of about 87 to 
100, which is, however, near enough to enable us to see what the 
curve would be, were the exact ratio 1 to 1 obtainable. 




Fig. 178 — A limiting condition — ratio 3^ 



200 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Fig. 175 shows the curve obtained when the weight is drawn 
aside, raised, and released. It is readily seen that the cycle would 
be complete after three revolutions to the right and three to the 
left, were the ratio exactly 1 to 1. When the weight is drawn 
aside and pulled down, exactly the same curve is described. There 
is, however, a limiting condition when the weight is just suffi- 
ciently lowered that the upward acceleration of the spring bal- 
ances the downward acceleration of gravity. We then get the 

curious case of a freely- 
moving pendulum whose 
bob describes a straight 
line. 

Second case: Ratio 1/2. 
Fig. 176 shows the curve 
obtained when the weight 
is deflected and raised ; 
Fig. 177 when deflected 
and depressed. In Fig. 177 
the cycle is incomplete. 
The horizontal component 
of motion dies out rapidly, 
and before the reverse half 
of the cycle is reached the 
pendulum has lost its 
directive force. In Fig. 
176 it will be noticed that the contraction of the successive loops 
is due to falling off in amplitude of the pendulum. 

Case two also presents a limiting condition shown in Fig. 178. 
Here the path is a parabola, and it is interesting to note that the 
upper loops of Fig, 177 are tangent to this parabola, when applied 
to it, and that it coincides with the median line of Fig. 176. 

When the ratios are made less simple, the curves become more 
complicated. Fig. 179 corresponds to a ratio of 2/3. 

No attempt is here made to treat the matter analytically. These 
cases do, however, present new and interesting matter to the 
mathematician, should the present state of analysis be found 




Fig. 179 — Curve made with a 
ratio of ^ 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



201 



equal to the problem. In general, we may remark that the shapes 
of the individual loops of the various curves are those of the 
corresponding aliquot ratios in simple harmonic motion, but the 
point of departure moves ahead with each successive loop. — 32 

CUTTING WOOD WITH PAPER 

A tallow candle bullet can be fired through a board. A straw 
driven by a cyclone will penetrate a tree. A stream of water, 
under high pressure, will tear the skin off a man's hand. A 
copper disk rotating slowly can be cut by a steel cutting tool ; 
but if rotated at high speed it will turn about and cut the tool. 
These facts suggested the following experiment on the cutting 
ability of paper. Everyone knows that the hand can be badly 
cut with paper; but the experiment was undertaken to discover 
whether hard substances, such as wood, could be cut with paper. 

A page of the Scientific American was trimmed to the form 







Fig. 180— Cutting a pencil with a disk of Bristol board 



202 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

of a disk, 10 or n inches in diameter, and a wooden spool was 
glued to the paper at its center. An electric fan was dismantled 
of its fan and guard and the spool was bored out to fit snugly 
on the armature shaft. A wood screw with its point blunted was 
threaded through the spool and against the shaft to fix the disk 
securely thereon. Then the current was turned on and a pencil 




Fig. 181 — The Scientific American as a cutting tool 

was held lightly against the edge of the spinning paper. Although 
the paper bit into the wood the centrifugal force was not sufficient 
to hold the paper rigid, and instead of making a clean cut it 
scratched the wood as if by a file. The fan was making about 
2,000 revolutions per minute, but the speed should have been 
doubled for so thin a paper. -Better results were obtained by 
pasting the paper on a disk of cardboard of smaller diameter, so 
that the edge of the paper projected half an inch over the peri- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 203 

phery of the cardboard. With this a clean cut was made into the 
wood of the pencil. 

But the best cutter was made out of a sheet of three-ply Bristol 
ooard, the kind on which drawings for the Patent Office are com- 
monly prepared. With this stiff paper the pencil was cut into 
very quickly, and the cut was exceedingly fine and clean. When 
the lead of the pencil was reached, the progress of the cutter 
was much slower because the graphite acted as a lubricant. 
Neither the paper nor the Bristol board showed any material 
wear with use. Fig. 181 shows the Bristol-board cutter making 
a cut, while in the foreground is a pencil which has been cut 
in two by the paper. 

' CHEMICAL PUZZLES 

The following experiment is easily performed even by those 
who have had little or no previous chemical training. It gives an 
idea of the infinite diversity of chemical and physical changes 
which one and the same reagent may induce in other substances. 

Fourteen glasses, arranged in seven pairs, are brought before 
the spectators, who are requested to examine them and their con- 
tents. The experimenter then pours one and the same liquid into 
the fourteen glasses. The following contradictory results become 
at once apparent: 

Substance contained in glass A becomes so hot that the glass 
cannot be kept in the hand. -Substance contained in glass A' 
becomes so cold that* frost promptly collects outside of the glass. 

Liquid contained in glass B was blue; it becomes colorless. 
Liquid contained in glass B ' was colorless ; it becomes blue. 

Glass C contained a clear liquid which becomes muddy. Glass 
C contained a muddy liquid which becomes clear. 

If a lighted match be introduced into glass D, several inches 
above the liquid, noisy flames are seen to spring in every direc- 
tion. If the same experiment is made in the same manner with 
glass D' , the match is quietly but immediately extinguished. 
Liquid in glass E had a burning, suffocating smell; it becomes 
odorless. Liquid in glass E' was odorless; it acquires such an 



204 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

offensive smell that it becomes necessary to carry it outside. 

Liquid in glass F was red; it becomes blue. Liquid in glass 
F' was blue; it becomes red. 

Glass G contained a solid substance which becomes liquid. 
Glass G' contained a clear liquid which becomes instantaneously 
solid. 

Every transformation is the result of the action of common 
hydrochloric acid over some chemical. Here are the nature and 




Fig. 182— A chemical puzzle 

proportions of these; capacity of glasses being supposed to be 
about one pint. 

Glass A contains 50 grammes of sodium hydrate dissolved in 
100 cubic centimeters of water. This solution fills about one-half 
of the glass. During the experiment the other half must be 
entirely filled with hydrochloric acid. This should be poured 
slowly while the liquid is agitated with a glass or wooden stick. 
The last additions of acid cause the liquid to boil. The glass will 
then be found to contain common table salt mixed with an excess 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 205 

either of acid or of sodium hydrate. Glass A' is filled with 
sodium sulphate in small crystals, such as is sold by pharmacists 
to be taken internally. Enough hydrochloric acid must be poured 
to cover the salt. Temperature goes at once much below 32 
deg. F. The cold becomes stuTmore intense if the mixture be 
agitated. 

Three-quarters of glass B are filled with water; then one 
decigramme of .copper sulphate is dissolved in it. Ammonia is 
added in small portions until an intense blue color appears. The 
addition of hydrochloric acid will cause it to vanish. A solution 
of two centigrammes of potassium ferricyanide in 100 cubic centi- 
meters of water is made in glass B' and, in this, another solution 
of 3 centigrammes of ferrous sulphate in 100 cubic centimeters 
of water is poured. A little ammonia is then added until the 
beautiful blue color vanishes. Hydrochloric acid will cause it to 
reappear instantaneously. 

Glass C contains the ordinary solution of lead acetate sold by 
■druggists for local or external application. Hydrochloric acid 
forms in it a dense precipitate of lead chloride. Three-quarters 
of glass C are filled with water to which about a quarter of a 
teaspoonful of slaked lime, free from coarse particles, is added. 
Calcium chloride, resulting from the action of hydrochloric acid 
on lime, is exceedingly soluble in water. 

A few pieces of zinc are deposited in glass D. Bubbles of 
hydrogen will be set noisily on fire when a match is introduced 
into the glass. The experiment is free from danger so long as no 
attempt is made to close the glass. One-third of glass D' is filled 
with wood ashes with enough water to make a thin paste. Carbon 
dioxide is the gas which promptly extinguishes the match. 

A hundred cubic centimeters of water, fifty cubic centimeters of 
ammonia, and enough litmus solution to give the liquid a bluish 
tint are poured into glass E. During the experiment, hydro- 
chloric acid is added, little by little, until the bluish color suddenly 
becomes reddish. The odor will then be found to have vanished. 
One-third of glass E' is filled with water, and 8 grammes of 
powdered iron sulphide are thrown into it. Hydrochloric acid 



206 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

will generate hydrogen sulphide in the glass. This gas is the 
active agent found in some mineral waters, to which it gives a 
characteristic smell of putrefied eggs. It is poisonous, but the 
amount evolved during the experiment is small, and the smell is 
so strong that it makes the air apparently irrespirable long before 
there is any danger. It should not, however, be smelled directly 
over the glass, nor should the glass remain in the room longer 
than is necessary to detect the odor. 

Glass F contains the same liquid as used in glass B, with the 
addition of one centigramme of aniline red scarlet. Glass F' 
contains the ordinary solution of blue litmus. 

Calcined magnesia is the solid substance which fills about 
one-third of glass G, and the ordinary syrupy soluble glass or 
sodium silicate solution sold by druggists is the liquid substance 
which will become instantaneously solid, in glass G', if mixed 
with about one-third its volume of hydrochloric acid. — 58 

SOME EXPERIMENTS WITH CARBON DISULPHIDE 

Carbon disulphide vapor is nearly twice as heavy as carbon 
dioxide gas. Some experiments, still more curious than those 
which are usually made to manifest the density of carbon dioxide, 
can be performed with carbon disulphide. 

To obtain carbon disulphide vapor there is no need of heating 
the liquid. It boils at 117 deg. F., but emits a considerable 
amount of vapor at temperatures far lower than 117 deg. To 
ascertain this fact, place in a dish a handful of cotton. Pour 
some carbon disulphide over it, and with bellows blow steadily 
over the whole. After a minute or two it will be found that the 
carbon disulphide has gone, and that a thick external layer of 
snow has taken its place. Condensation and congelation of atmo- 
spheric humidity were the result of the quick vaporization of 
the liquid. 

The following experiment made with carbon disulphide always 
succeeds, although the writer has tried in vain to perform it with 
carbon dioxide. It offers no difficulty whatever, even when the 
thermometer stands as low as 66 deg. F., and it can probably 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



207 



be made at a lower temperature, although it is of course better 
to select a summer day, or, in winter, a heated room. Take a long 
and narrow strip of stiff paper. Fold it longitudinally so as to 
form a V-shaped trough. Support the trough on an incline, with 
the upper end resting on a book and the lower end in the mouth 
of an empty glass. In the bottom of a second glass press some 
cotton, and over this pour some disulphide. Have a third empty 
glass at hand. Everything is now ready for the experiment. 

Go through the motions of pouring into the third glass the 
carbon disulphide contained in glass number two. Capillarity 
will keep the liquid in the cotton, and nothing will seem to flow 





4 




~ : : . 


*dk 


l*\ 


^^B 






.^vW^v 





Fig. 1 83-- Making frost with carbon disulphide 



out. Now take glass number three, which apparently contains 
nothing; handle it as if it contained something, and pour slowly 
its invisible contents into the upper part of the paper gutter. 
Nothing is seen to leave the glass nor to run along the gutter 
nor to fill glass number one at the lower end of the gutter, but 
throw an ignited match into the latter glass and a blue flame will 
fill it for one or two seconds. 

A little apparatus, called the four liquids vial, is generally 
shown to students during a course in elementary physics. Mer- 
cury, a solution of potassium carbonate, alcohol, and petroleum 
are seen to superpose themselves in one vessel according to their 
relative densities, the surface of separation being in each case 



208 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



horizontal. This is the way in which non-miscible liquids gen- 
erally arrange themselves when thrown together in one vessel. 
Carbon disulphide permits of a somewhat different arrangement, 
which appears very odd because the conditions of its realization 
are so unusual. It happens that carbon disulphide and glycerin 
cannot be mixed, and have exactly the same density (1.26) up 
to the second decimal, the third decimal being variously influ- 
enced by the purity and temperature of both chemicals. If the 




Fig. 184— Pouring invisible vapor of carbon disulphide down 
a trough and into a glass 

two liquids be placed with some care side by side in one vessel, 
the adhesion of glycerin for glass wiil keep them in that queer 
position. 

Take an ordinary glass, and divide its capacity into two halves 
by means of a roughly-cut pasteboard partition laid vertically in 
the glass. Pour at the same time glycerin on one side of the 
partition and carbon disulphide on the other. If, while so doing, 
you are careful not to allow too great a difference of level between 
both liquids, each will stay on its own side of the partition, everi 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



209 



though the latter may imperfectly fit the glass. Now raise the 
partition. The surface of separation of the two liquids sometimes 
remains perfectly vertical for several minutes. More frequently, 




Fig. 185— Carbon disulphide and glycerin side by side 



under the influence of the three factors which determine its shape, 
i. e., adhesion, cohesion, and a small difference in density, it bends 
itself and becomes more or less S shaped. 

While handling carbon disulphide, one should always bear in 



210 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



mind that this liquid takes fire even more readily than gasoline, 
and that its vapor is poisonous. The latter inconvenience is the 
lesser, because the nature and intensity of the smell of the com- 
mercial product are such as to cause one to step back when the 
vapor reaches the nostrils. — 58 

BLUE ROSES 

The roses shown on the accompanying figure are white with a 
delicate and beautiful network of blue veins. Such roses can be 




Fig. 186 — The roses are covered with a network of blue veins 



obtained in little more than one hour by placing the following 
solution, instead of water, in the vase in which the cut ends of 
the stalks are dipping: 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 211 

Water ioo cubic centimeters. 

Aniline methylene blue 2 grammes. 

Potassium nitrate 2 grammes. 

School boys know that white roses can be transformed into red 
flowers by allowing the cut end to remain some time in some 
kinds of red ink. The writer tried to obtain similar results with 
a number of aniline dyes and found that while some, like aniline 
red scarlet, for cotton, readily rise into the vessels of the stalk, 
others, like aniline methyl green, will not, under any circum- 
stances reach the flowers. Some common salts were added to 
the dyes and one of them, potassium nitrate (saltpeter) was 
found to exert a powerful influence over the ascent of the dyes, 
which rise then rapidly and in considerable quantities. The 
experiment is curious and should be repeated while using the 
blue liquid ; the end of a few stalks being placed in some of the 
solution to which no saltpeter is added. Aniline methylene blue 
is not one of the dyes which readily ascend in plants and it will 
be soon noticed that, while the flowers with the stalks dipping 
into the saltpeter and blue dye solution are covered with the blue 
network, nothing can yet be detected on those whose stalks are 
allowed to dip in the same liquid but without saltpeter. 

Will some botanist suggest an explanation of this influence of 
saltpeter on the ascent of dyes in stalks and flowers ? — 58 

HOME-MADE CHEMICAL PERFUME 

Early in the nineteenth century, chemists generally thought it 
impossible to make organic compounds out of the elements found 
in them. Synthesis they believed, to be practicable only in the case 
of minerals. Woehler, with his remarkable synthesis of urea, 
shook that belief at least as much as the Curies recently shook 
the common belief of chemists in the integrity of the atom. Other 
organic syntheses followed that of urea, and some of them, as 
that of the alizarin dye, were made in conditions so favorable 
that it became unprofitable to grow the plants from which the 
chemical had hitherto been extracted. Thousands of acres have 
thus been so far given back to the cultivation of food stuffs, and 



212 



HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



one may confidently expect a time in which most, if not all, of our 
drugs, dyes, and even food will be made through synthesis. Agri- 
culture then will be a thing of the past. Factories will make for 
us sugar, starch, fats, proteids, that is to say, bread, eggs, milk, 
fruits, besides some new foods which may prove as superior to 
the old ones as antipyrin and pyramidon have proved superior 
to the natural alkaloids formerly used in similar circumstances. 
The most recent and greatest advance in the organic synthesis 




Fig. 187— Apparatus for making synthetic lilac 

of industrial products can be observed to-day probably in the 
perfume industry. The fragrance of heliotrope, hyacinth, pink, 
rose, violet, hawthorn, lilac, musk, wintergreen, vanilla, cinna- 
mon, bitter almonds, and that of many fruits, are now. produced 
with chemicals which frequently have but a repugnant smell or 
no smell at all. Most of these syntheses require complicated 
apparatus as well as considerable chemical skill, but in one case 
at least, that of terpinol, an essence now sold sometimes under the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 213 

name of lilac, sometimes under that of lily of the valley, the opera- 
tions are simple enough, and the synthesis is but an enjoyable 
experiment easily performed at home or in the class room. 

Besides the vessels found in every kitchen, the only needed 
apparatus are a round-bottom flask (capacity about one pint), a 
rubber stopper with one hole, and two glass tubes united together 
with a piece of rubber tubing. The preparation may be divided 
into two operations, i. e., the transformation of common oil of 
turpentine into terpin and the transformation of terpin into ter- 
pinol. The first operation requires much time and no care what- 
ever. The second operation is made in less than a quarter of 
an hour. 

One-half of a quart bottle is filled with oil of turpentine. Three- 
fourths of a pint of alcohol at about 80 per cent is mixed with it, 
and one-fourth of a pint of nitric acid is added to the mixture, 
which is left to itself for several days, until crystals are formed. 
These are collected, and dried with some blotting paper. They 
are pure terpin. To get the full amount formed in such circum- 
stances, one should wait over three months ; but, for experimental 
purposes, such a delay is, of course, unnecessary. Moreover, 
should the experimenter wish to prepare the perfume at once, he 
may get the ready-made terpin at the drug store, as it is pre- 
scribed by physicians for a kind of lung trouble. 

To transform odorless terpin into fragrant terpinol, terpin 
must be heated with water containing a small amount of sulphuric 
acid. The round-bottom flask is half filled with water. Two or 
three large spoonfuls of terpin are thrown into it, and about as 
much sulphuric acid is slowly poured into the flask. There is no 
danger in pouring sulphuric acid into water, but water should 
never be poured into sulphuric acid, as the heat thus suddenly 
generated may cause some of the caustic liquid to be thrown out 
of the bottle. 

An alcohol lamp is now lighted directly under the flask. If a 
gas stove be used, a piece of wire gauze should be interposed 
between flame and flask. As soon as the liquid in the flask begins 
to boil, the glass tube is plunged into the water in a tumbler. 



214 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

There the steam and the terpinol carried along with it noisily 
condense. A delightful scent fills the room. To keep the tumbler 
cool, place it in a bowl of water. The operation is over when 
the liquid in the tumbler has become nearly hot in spite of the 
water in which the glass is immersed. A layer of liquid terpinol 
will then be found to float over the water. The fragrance, which 
is extremely strong while the essence is warm, becomes much 
more agreeable after it has cooled. Some odoriferous plants, 
such as marjoram, contain terpinol, in their leaves, but the extrac- 
tion of the essence from such sources is always much more 
expensive than its synthesis with oil of turpentine. — 58 
ARTIFICIAL ZINCITE 

'Zincite for use in wireless "perrikon" detectors can be made 
artificially as follows : 

Mix thoroughly 1 part of zinc sulphate with from ^ to 1 part 
of either potassium or sodium sulphate (Glauber's salt).. Place 
in a crucible (platinum preferred, but porcelain or iron will 
answer) and heat until fused to a thin liquid. Then bring up 
to, but not above, a bright red heat. Sulphur dioxide will be 
given off, and against the outside of the crucible will be formed 
an opaque crust, white, if the materials were pure and the opera- 
tion carried out in a platinum crucible. Under the microscope 
this crust is shown to be composed of small crystals identical in 
form and composition with those of the natural zincite. Slow 
action is better than a rapid one, because the slower the action 
the larger the crystals. It is even possible to obtain crystals of 
perfect hexagonal shape measuring from 2 to 3 millimeters in 
diameter. This opaque crust is removed from the crucible in as 
large pieces as possible, and then set in fusible metal. 

Another method is to fuse powdered zinc oxide in the electric 
arc. This gives a hard, white, amorphous, porcelain-like sub- 
stance, which can be used for similar purposes. — n 

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT AND ITS EXPLANATION 

Ordinarily, the precipitate produced by mixing two chemicals 
in solution is formed more or less slowly. But in the following 



HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 215 

experiment we have a case where two different speeds of reaction 
are shown. The first takes several seconds before it is complete, 
while the second is quicker than a flash. The experiment also 
shows just when that action takes place. 

When iodine is added to a starch solution, or vice versa, the 
solution is colored blue. This is a well-known test for either 
free iodine or starch. 

Prepare a solution, A, of starch in water, and add to it some 
sulphurous acid. Prepare a separate solution, B, of potassium 
iodate, and add to it a little sulphuric acid. These last two sub- 
stances form potassium sulphate and iodic acid, in accordance 
with the following reaction : 

2KICX + H 2 S0 4 = K 2 S0 4 + 2HI0 3 . 
The iodic acid is the only constituent which plays any part and 
need be considered in the experiment proper. Pour A + B 
together quickly into a glass vessel and watch it closely. In a 
few seconds the solution will change like a flash to a deep blue. 
The explanation and reactions are as follows : 

HI0 3 + 3SO, + 3H 9 = HI + 3H 2 S0 4 
5HI-HHI0 3 = 5 I + 3 H 2 

SO, + 2H 2 + I = H 2 S0 4 + 2HI. 
The iodic acid unites with the sulphurous acid to form hydriodic 
acid and sulphuric acid. The iodic acid then unites with some of 
the hydriodic acid and forms iodine. But the iodine does not 
get a chance for existence, because it is immediately taken up 
by some of the sulphurous acid and formed into iodic acid. This 
process keeps on as long as there is any sulphurous acid present, 
and the solution remains clear, for there is also no free iodine 
present. But just as soon as the last molecule of sulphurous acid 
disappears, the whole solution turns blue so quickly that one 
looks twice before believing. The blue color generally flashes in 
from 20 to 40 seconds, depending upon the concentration and 
strength of the solutions. With a little experimenting the solu- 
tion may be made to change in a predetermined time. It is a 
good idea to use a small part of the solution, and time it before 



2l6 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



mixing the remainder. Care should be taken not to use too much 
sulphurous acid. — 59 

NOVEL HEAT MOTOR 

Owing to the fact that water in liquid form is nearly incom- 
pressible, it cannot be used to perform a cycle of operations such 
as take place in the steam engine. Theoretically, however, any 
substance having a temperature above its surroundings is capable 
of serving as a power generator. Disregarding the possibility of 
thermo-electric conversion of energy, useful mechanical work can 
be derived through the expansion of vapors of volatile substances.. 




Fig. 18S — A simple heat motor 



Many liquids are known to pass into vapor under a feeble heat r 
such as, for instance, the sun's rays. 

If other media than water are used as heat carriers, it becomes 
indispensable to recover the original liquid by means of conden- 
sation for economic reasons. 

A simple apparatus, which can be made by the Handy Man, 
will demonstrate that a very small degree of heat is sufficient for 
performing light mechanical work. 

A disk E, mounted on shaft D, serves as support for six com- 
partments, B lt B 2 , . r B 6 , concentrically arranged about D. These 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 2\J 

as well as the disk can be made of tin soldered together. Two 
opposite chambers, for instance, B x and B±, are connected by a 
small brass tube C, bent outward at the center to clear the shaft 
D and projecting through the chambers nearly to the outer cylin- 
drical wall. Two uprights, F x and F 2 , support the wheel at a 
proper distance over a small flame A or over a basin filled with 
hot water. One of each pair of chambers is filled with ether or 
acetone, while the other contains only the vapor of the liquid in 
an expanded state, but no air at all. The liquid is introduced 
into the chambers through small holes, and after the air has been 
blown out (by heating this liquid to the boiling point) each hole 
is sealed with a drop of solder. 

Evidently, when one chamber passes through the hot zone, the 
liquid vaporizes and passes through the tube to the opposite 
chamber where it condenses. Thus the center of gravity is con- 
stantly changed, causing the wheel to revolve. — 36 

AN ORNAMENTAL HEAT MOTOR 

In the foregoing article the heat motor described is made of 
metal. This can be. improved upon and made much more attract- 
ive by constructing the apparatus of glass. The entire operation 
is then visible, and if the source of heat be hidden, the result is 
very mystifying to the uninitiated. A set of glass balls are 
procured, each pair connected by a small glass tube as shown, 
and one of them filled with a volatile liquid, alcohol or ether, the 
air being exhausted before the bulb is closed. 

A set of these bulbs, three or four, is arranged on a central 
support which revolves on pins. The support can be made as 
follows : Procure a cylindrical piece of wood, as shown at A, and 
drill holes at angles, dividing the circumference equally. Then 
with a fine saw cut through the center of these holes at right 
angles to the axis of the wood. This will provide a set of clamps, 
which will hold the rods connecting the bulbs in the position as 
shown on the assembled sketch. The bulbs are then balanced 
in their support and securely fastened, and the whole mounted 
on two vertical supports, which are in turn placed on top of a box. 



218 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



This box is best made of tin or light sheet iron, and contains 
inside a deflector through the top of which some small holes are 
bored, to allow the heat from a small spirit lamp to strike the 
lowest bulb only. Air holes are provided at one side, on the 
bottom as shown. 

The operation is as follows : When the heat strikes the lower 
bulb, the liquid evaporates quickly, forming sufficient pressure 




Fig. 189 — An ornamental heat motor 



to blow the remaining liquid into the opposite bulb directly on 
top. This displaces the center of gravity, as the bulbs overhang 
the center, and causes the set to revolve and bring each bulb in 
succession over the hot gas from the lamp, producing a rotary 
motion. Of course, very little power, if any, can be obtained 
from such a machine, but as a window attraction it is very suc- 
cessful. The source of heat being hidden, the sudden upward 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 2IQ, 

flow of the liquid is mystifying, and very pretty effects can be 
obtained by using four different colored solutions of alcohol. 

The sizes of the bulbs should be about ij^ inches diameter, 
one of each pair being filled slightly over one-half its height with 
liquid. The distance between the centers of bulbs of the above 
diameter should be not less than 9 inches. The tubes should 
extend to within y 2 inch of the outer side of each bulb, and the 
connecting tube should be not less than y% inch inside. 

The bulbs complete can be had made to order as described for 
about 50 cents at any glass blower's. — 21 

"ROTAGONS" 

There is a class of geometrical figures possessing peculiarities 
which possibly have not been investigated or published before. 
For the sake of a title, and owing to the relation these figures 
bear both to circle and polygon, let us arbitrarily name them 
"rotagons." A rotagon is a plane figure whose perimeter is com- 
posed of an odd number of circular arcs such that each point 
where two arcs meet is the center from which the opposite arc 
may be described. 

Referring to Fig. 190, the figures A, B, C, and D show four 
out of an infinite number of forms which the rotagon may take. 
It may be observed that these figures have the same width in 
all directions, that the sum of the arcs equals a semi-circle, that 
the sum of the points of the inscribed star is therefore 180 de- 
grees, or in other words, the dotted line and arcs represent the 
overlapping sectors of a semi-circle, and that these dotted lines 
may be conceived as link work whose limit of motion is reached 
in the figure A. When inscribed in a square or rhomb, rotagons 
may be conceived as turning around while remaining at all times 
in contact with the four sides. When regular in form, they may 
turn in any regular polygon the number of whose sides is one 
more or one less than the number of arcs, and they will maintain 
contact with all of the sides. It follows that the same motion is 
possible within any combination of three or more sides of the 
polygon, which, if produced, will close. 



22Q 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



The motion is complex and the complete orbit of any given 
point consists of a number of elements (glissettes) which may be 
either elliptical, circular, or straight. These orbits, by reason of 
their composite nature, are of curious and even fantastic forms. 
Some idea of their endless variety may be gained from the ac- 
companying diagrams, which were developed graphically by 
means of cardboard models. As the figure A turns in a square 
(see Fig. 190), the points 1, 2, 3, 4, describe the paths shown in 
section E. Sections F, G, and H contain the orbits of the same 




o ^ % <%> 



^ 



^^ 



^ 



"«oO & 



a o O 



« o # # 



^ ^ -# 



Fig. 190— Figures produced by rotagons of various forms 



points as the figure turns in rhombs, whose minor angles are 
respectively 75, 60, and 45 degrees. Sections K, L, M, and N 
show the corresponding curves for points I, 2, 3, 4, in the figure 
B. When A revolves once in a square, its center of gravity at 
point I makes three revolutions in an opposite direction in an 
orbit composed of four elliptical arcs. Regular rotagons pro- 
duce symmetrical orbits, but irregular figures such as C and D 
produce unsymmetrical orbits. That such complex and intricate 
motions are possible in a single moving part under such simple 
conditions of operation, seems almost incredible until one has 
made the experiment. There is a singular grace and beauty in 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



221 



some of the curves, which suggest possible adaptation in the field 
of decorative design. 

Fig. 191 shows more fully the motion of the triangular rotagon. 
Twenty points are taken in the figure DAE, the point O being at 
the center and points 1, 2, 3, etc., being on the three axes A, B, 
and C. Each point and its corresponding orbit is indicated by the 
axis letter and the number of the point on that axis. The orbits 



Al Bl Cl A2 

d.o @ @ <e> a 

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60° _^ 



12 CZ A3 B3^ C 










> 

\ 




— 


1) 
> 




Fig. 191— Motions of a triangular rotagon in a square and 
rhombs of various angles 



marked 90 degrees are described by these points when the rotagon 
moves in a square, and the other orbits are developed by turning 
the figure in rhombs, whose minor angles are 75, 60, and 45 de- 
grees, as indicated. 

In Fig. 192 the model f is shown ready for operation. The 
weighted pencil b is inserted in one of the holes in the card- 
board and the model is turned around by hand and at the same 
lime kept in contact with the guides aa, which may be set at any 



222 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



angle. As the motion is determined by two contact points, the 
other two sides are unnecessary. The model used is about six 
inches in diameter, and from the orbits drawn by the pencil, free- 
hand ink tracings were made in order to facilitate reproduction 
in the accompanying cuts. This accounts for some roughness in 
the curves, which does not exist in the pencil drawings. Five- 
sided and seven-sided models (c and d) are shown in the illustra- 
tion, and also a piece of wood e resting on "three-cornered rollers." 
When set in motion e travels in a straight line, exactly as if sup- 




Fig. 192 — Rotagon apparatus for producing geometrical figures 

ported on cylinders, while the motion of the supports is alternately 
circular and cycloidal. The same motion would follow with any 
other form of the rotagon. To most persons it will come as a 
surprise to realize that a cylinder is not the only form of roller 
which will impart straight-line motion to a supported body. 

The rotagon may possess little interest for the mathematician 
and may be without value in the realm of mechanics, but its prop- 
erties are so unique and the infinite variety of its fixed motions 
is so startling that it becomes worthy of investigation, even if re- 
garded only as a scientific toy. — 65 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 223 

A HOME-MADE SEISMOGRAPH 

Trie Scientific American has occasionally told its readers some- 
thing of the seismograph, and of the mysterious tremors and pul- 
sations of the earth's crust that it reveals. But probably very few 
have ever seen one, or had the opportunity to "feel the earth's 
pulse" for themselves. Yet a really serviceable seismograph can 
be constructed by anyone with a mechanical head, with very few 
tools and a very small outlay. The following is substantially a 
description of the seismograph constructed by the writer at 
Euphrates College, Harpoot, Turkey. It involved an outlay for 
materials of less than three dollars. This instrument has been 
in operation for the past sixteen months, and has during that time 
recorded over one hundred and sixty earthquakes. Its construc- 
tion is shown in the accompanying engraving. 

The Steady Mass. — The fundamental part of the instrument is 
a horizontal pendulum, whose function it is to remain at rest dur- 
ing an earthquake. The mass is a sheet-iron drum, A, full of 
gravel, weighing about eighty pounds. This is fixed securely 
to the end of a one-inch iron pipe, E, whose other end rests, by a 
frictionless bearing C, against a solid wall. The drum is also 
hung from the wall by a similar bearing at C. The bearings are 
made as follows: The half -inch machine bolts, B and B' , turn in 
nuts which are very firmly imbedded in the wall. In a slight de- 
pression in the head of B a quarter-inch bicycle ball, C, is set, with 
wax. Against this ball rests a polished, hardened steel plate, D, 
slightly concave, which is tacked to the hardwood plug driven into 
the end of the pipe E. The upper bearing ball, C , is set in a de- 
pression in the bent bar F (ij^ by ^-inch iron) which is firmly 
clamped to the wall by the bolt B' . The concave steel plate D' 
is cemented to the iron stirrup G. The other end of the stirrup 
is formed into a hook, over which passes the suspending wire, 
W, whose ends are fastened to the ends of the rod H H' ', which 
passes through, the drum A. 

Adjustment of the Steady Mass. — By tapping the bar F to 
one side or the other, the bearing C' is brought exactly over C, 
so that the pendulum swings out perpendicular to the wall. The 



224 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



bolt B is then turned in or out, to regulate the period of the 
swing. The pendulum, when disturbed, should swing back and 
forth once in forty or fifty seconds. Turning the bolt B inward 
shortens the period, turning it outward lengthens it. If B is too 
far out, the pendulum will not swing back and forth, but will 
swing clear over to either side. As it is impossible by moving 
the plate F to adjust the pendulum very exactly, a weight, Z, of 




Fig. 193 — A home-made seismograph 

two or three ounces, is hung by a long thread against the strut E 
a few inches from the bearing. The support from which this 
weight is hung can be adjusted, so as to bring more or less pres- 
sure on the strut as needed. 

Multiplying Lever and Recording Pen. — To the steady mass 
is connected the short arm of the multiplying lever /. The short 
arm consists of a bit of brass wire, No. 12, three inches long. 
It is inserted into the cork / which serves to join together the two 
arms of the lever and their pivot, K. At one inch distance from 
the pivot the brass wire is flattened slightly on top, and a conical 
depression is made in it. In this depression rests one point of a 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



225 



link, L, of fine piano wire, shaped as shown in the detail view. 
The other end of the link rests in a similar depression in the 
brass bar M, which lies on the pendulum drum. This link com- 
municates any motion of the drum to the short arm of the lever 
/. The long arm of the lever is a stout straw, fourteen inches 
long. The short arm should nearly balance the long one; if 
necessary, a drop of solder may be added at the end of the wire. 
At the end of the long arm is a crosspiece, Q, of aluminium foil, 
whose two ends are bent up to form a support for the needle V , 
whose pointed ends rest in depressions in the foil. A piece of No. 
24 aluminium wire is given two turns about the needle V , and 




wfy\M^NH 




N 



tftjfv^pjv^^ 



Fig. 194— A diagram of the Bokhara earthquake recorded by the home- 
made instrument at Harpoot, 1850 miles away. 

cemented to it. One end of the wire, an inch long, is ground to a 
conical point, S, and bent downward so that the point rests on the 
drum T. The other end is bent up and to one side, and cut off 
half an inch long. A drop of wax, R, makes this short arm 
nearly balance the point. Thus when the point is down, it rests 
on the drum very lightly, and when swung up, the short arm does 
not touch the drum. The pivot, K, is a common sewing needle, 
rather fine, whose point rests in a conical depression at N, while 
the upper end passes through a fine hole in the sheet-brass yoke, 
K O N. The latter is fastened with a screw to the top of the 
post P, which is an iron pipe, firmly planted in the ground, with 
a hardwood plug driven into its upper end. 



226 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

Recording Drum and Clock. — The recording drum is a cylindri- 
cal tin can closed at both ends, with a quarter-inch shaft fastened 
in its exact axis. The drum must be perfectly balanced on its 
axis by adding wax or solder to one side or the other. The shaft 
rests on uprights, U, of thick strap iron, which are fastened to the 
table on which the recorder is mounted. A screw thread of about 
thirty turns is formed on one end of the shaft with a soft brass 
wire, wound spirally and soldered at each end. This thread en- 
gages the upright, U , and drives the drum slowly forward as it 
rotates. The clock is an ordinary one-dollar lever clock. It is 
firmly fastened on the block, V , on the table, so that its axis is 
exactly in line with that of the drum T. The L-shaped iron wire 
X is soldered along the minute hand, and also to its bushing and 
pivot, so that it will rotate rigidly with the minute hand. The 
long arm of the L is parallel with the axis of the drum, and is 
engaged by a fork soldered to the end of the shaft. Thus the 
drum rotates with the clock, but moves gradually along its axis, 
On the drum is wrapped a sheet of white glazed paper, held in 
place by an open ring of spring wire slipped over each end of 
the drum. The paper is blackened by revolving the drum over 
a large, smoky flame, such as a kerosene torch. 

Important Details of Construction. — Exact dimensions are un- 
important. The drum A is one foot in diameter. The following 
points, however, are of vital importance : 

i. The wall from which the pendulum is hung must be ex- 
ceedingly solid. If possible it should be below ground, and not 
subject to great and changing strains. A lengthwise displacement 
of the millionth part of an inch in the upper part of the wall makes- 
a perceptible jog in the record. Short-period tremors, however, 
such as machinery or cars near by, do no very serious harm. 

2. The steel bearing plates, D and D' , after being shaped with 
a smooth, slightly concave surface, should be tempered file-hard, 
and then the bearing face should be highly polished with leather 
and fine emery. 

3. The bearings of the lever /, the link L, and the stylus R S 
must be very perfect. The points of the needles, K and V , and of 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 22*J 

the link L must be perfectly sharp and smooth. The conical de- 
pressions in which they rest may be made by pressing into the 
metal a sharp-pointed awl with a whirling motion. In regions 
where sharp earthquakes are sometimes felt these depressions 
should be rather deep, to prevent the points flying out. The 
needle K must be exactly vertical. 

4. As most of the friction of the seismograph is at the point 
of the stylus S, it is of the utmost importance that that stylus 
should rest very lightly on the paper, only heavily enough to 
scratch through a moderately thin soot layer. The broad part of 
the crosspiece Q should be bent upward, so as to prevent the 
stylus dropping too far when the pen swings off the paper in a 
great earthquake. 

5. If there are drafts in the room where the seismograph is 
installed, the instrument must be well protected from them. 

Time Marking. — To be of scientific value, the records should 
have exact time marked on them at frequent intervals. This 
can easily be done if a reliable clock is available. A bit of plat- 
inum wire soldered to the second-hand wheel makes a short 
contact once each minute with a fixed platinum wire. These con- 
tact points are connected, through two dry cells, to the magnet of 
an electric bell. (Directly, not through the vibrator.) The bell, 
with gong removed, is rigidly attached to the post P, so that the 
strike of the armature is at right angles to the lever /. Thus at 
the end of each minute there is a sharp click against the post, 
which causes, as it were, a miniature earthquake, which is plainly 
visible in the record. The effect is improved if the clapper of the 
bell be replaced with a lead weight of two or three ounces. 

Records. — Once in twenty-four hours, after marking on the 
smoked paper the exact time at the last minute mark, the paper 
is carefully removed, a fresh sheet put in place and smoked, and 
the clock wound. First the beginning of each hour is marked, 
and on the top line a mark is made at every tenth minute. The 
date, ratio of magnification, and clock error are also noted. All 
these are scratched in the soot on the sheet. The record is then 
fixed by brushing rather thin varnish over the back of the sheet. 



228 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

If a register is kept, at least the following data should be en- 
tered in it : I . Time of the beginning of first preliminary 
tremors, P' . 2. Beginning of second preliminary tremors, P" . 

3. Beginning of the first group of large or principal waves, P r " . 

4. Time of maximum motion. 5. Amplitude of maximum motion. 
(Measured from position of rest of pen to extreme of motion to 
either side. This should be divided by the ratio of magnification 
of the lever /.) 6. Period at time of maximum. (I. e., time from 
one crest to the next of the largest waves.) 7. Time of end of 
principal portion. 8. End of 'succeeding tremors. 

Locating a Distant Earthquake. — The writer has been able, in 
the case of large, distant earthquakes, to announce the general lo- 
cation of the shock at once, from the records of the seismograph. 
Two elements are needed for this — the distance and the direction. 
As the first preliminary tremors travel much faster than the 
main, large waves, the difference in time of their arrival gives 
a measure of the distance of the origin. Various formulae have 
been computed for this, some of them very complicated. The 
writer has found, however, that a uniform rate of three degrees 
per minute is not far from the truth, for all distances ; that is, 
for every minute that elapses between the beginning of the first 
tremor P' and the beginning of the first group of large waves 
P'" , measure three degrees of distance on a great circle of the 
globe. That will generally give within ten per cent of the correct 
distance. 

To determine the direction of an origin, a single horizontal 
pendulum is inadequate. There must be two, set at right angles 
to one another, so that by compounding the two co-ordinates 
thus given, the actual direction of the earth's movements may be 
seen. The small diagram shows one method of bringing the 
records of two pendulums on one recording drum. The short arm 
of each recording lever is set at an angle of 135 deg. to the long 
arm, thus bringing the long arms parallel, as shown. One pendu- 
lum hangs north and south, and records motions of the earth 
east and west, while the other records motions north and south. 
To determine the direction of an earthquake origin, attention need 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 229 

be given only to the very first one or two waves of the prelim- 
inary tremors. It is known that the first preliminary tremors are 
waves which, like sound waves, move in a direction parallel to 
the line of propagation, while the main waves have a motion at 
right angles to this, like light. The latter, however, are exceed- 
ingly complicated waves, while, so far as the writer has observed, 
the first preliminary tremors always begin with a very slight 
motion away from the point of origin, followed by a consider- 
ably larger swing toward the origin. So that whenever the be- 
ginning of these tremors is strongly recorded it is possible, by 
comparing the north-south and east-west components of these 
first motions, to ascertain the direction from which the waves 
have come. This, with the distance, marked out (on the great 
circle) on a globe, gives the approximate location of the earth- 
quake. — 79 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE HANDY MAN'S ELECTRICAL LABORA- 
TORY 

AN UNBREAKABLE LEYDEN JAR 

Two ordinary tin cans may be used to make a serviceable 
Leyden jar, which has the advantage of being unbreakable. 

Select two tin cans such that the diameter of the one exceeds 
that of the other by about one-half inch. Cover the bottom of the 

larger can (inside) with a 
disk of rubber or varnished 
cardboard. To the bottom of 
the smaller can (on the out- 
side) solder a piece of iron or 
copper wire, bent into a hook 
at the tip, or else ending in a 
ball. Around the smaller can 
wind an old rubber plate or 
several layers of silk rags or 
well-varnished p a re h m e n t, 
folding this insulating layer 
down into the can over the 
edge, an inch or more. Place 
the smaller can, thus insulated, with the edge down, in the larger 
can, and the Leyden jar is completed, ready to be charged from 
a frictional machine or an electrophorus. 

The inner can should stand out an inch or so above the outer 
can, to prevent sparks from passing over. — 103 

A SUBSTITUTE FOR TINFOIL IN LEYDEN JARS 

The deposit of silver from a mirror solution is a convenient 
and effective substitute for the tinfoil on the inside of Leyden 
jars. It lies close, and presents no points or sharp edges to invite 





Fig. 195 — An unbreakable Leyden 
jar 



HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 23 1 

a puncture of the glass. It very much enlarges one's choice of 
bottles, as one is not obliged to sacrifice a flask of good dielectric 
properties because it has too narrow a mouth for convenient 
manipulation of the tinfoil. The suggestion may have other 
applications ; for instance, a pair of thin glass test tubes, silvered 
in this way, serve very well in the construction of Regnault's 
hygrometer. 

The easiest way to get proper silvering solution is to go down 
to the mirror maker's with the flasks that need the coating. The 
solution can be purchased for a trifle. The following formula 
will do very well. A. Rochelle salt 10 grammes in I liter of 
water. B. Silver nitrate 5 grammes dissolved in a little water. 
Add 3 grammes of strong ammonia gradually, so that the pre- 
cipitate at first formed is dissolved. Add water enough to make 
1 liter. Mix equal parts of A and B. The glass ought to be 
perfectly clean and at a temperature of 25 deg. or 30 deg. C. In 
about half an hour the deposit is complete. — 43 

A HOME-MADE WIMSHURST MACHINE 

The Wimshurst machine illustrated herewith (Fig. 196) was 
made very cheaply out of such materials as came to, hand. The 
frame is of oak and the bosses of pine. The two glass disks are 
12 inches in diameter. The sectors were made of brass foil with 
brass hemispheres (tack heads) soldered on them. Sixteen sectors 
are used on each disk. The Leyden jars consist of Welsbach lamp 
chimneys (the straight kind) to which the tinfoil was applied at 
the center, keeping it V/2 inches from each end. The posts that 
support the combs and terminals pass through the chimneys. The 
posts are of hard rubber, and each has a hole bored in the end to 
receive the stem of the brass ball, which connects the comb and 
the terminal to it. The stems were made fast by pouring melted 
sulphur into the holes around them. The combs are connected to 
the inner coating of the Leyden jars. In place of simply con- 
necting the outer coatings of the jars with wire, two tubes are 
fitted into the frame in such manner that they can be connected 
by putting a plug in one tube, and be disconnected by putting it 



232 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



into the other, and then hand holes or any other form of terminals 
may be attached to them. 

The device is used for a display design by placing in the circuit 
a tinfoil strip cut away at the points where sparks are wanted to 




Fig. 196— A home-made Wimshurst machine 



make the design or letters, etc. When the outer coatings are 
connected, a i^-inch spark is obtained. The machine is driven 
by means of oak pulleys and a leather cord belt. 

The accompanying photograph of the machine and the spark 
was made as follows : When the camera had been focused on 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



233 



the machine, the room was darkened by drawing the shades ; then 
while the plate was exposed, the machine was operated to give 
several sparks. The camera was now closed and, after the shades 
were raised, a second exposure was made without disturbing the 
machine or the camera. — 1 

HOW TO MAKE AN OSCILLATING STATIC ELECTRIC MOTOR 

There is no adjunct of the influence machine that affords a 
prettier or more striking experimental demonstration of electro- 
static attractions and repulsions than an oscillating static motor. 

In view of the dependence of the action of all ordinary types 




Fig. 197 — Side elevation of the motor 



of electric motors upon magnetic influences, the curious little 
machine here illustrated is truly unique ; for though an electric 
motor in the purest sense of the term, yet it derives its motions 
from forces that are wholly non-magnetic. With the aid of the 
working drawings and the hints here given, the amateur may 
easily construct for himself an experimental static motor whose 
action will be highly gratifying and instructive. 

A horizontally oscillating lever, a, of round vulcanite rod, 
carrying at its extremities two hollow balls, b and b', of soft pine, 
communicates its motion through a slender vulcanite connecting 



234 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



rod, c, to a light flywheel, d, of thin wood. The lever, a, passes 
tightly through a turned wooden hub, e, into whose lower end is 
inserted a pivot rod, /, of steel wire, slightly under y% inch in 
size. The lower portion of f, whose end terminates in a sharp 
point, turns freely in a vertical socket, g, rising from the wooden 
base of the instrument. The flywheel is supported in a similar 
manner by pivot socket g\ These sockets, which are of 5/16-inch 
round brass rod, soldered into turned brass foot pieces, h, are 
drilled longitudinally in the lathe with a ^-inch twist drill to a 




Fig. 198 — Plan view of the motor 



depth of 2}i, inches. To reduce friction as much as possible, the 
parts of the pivot rods within the sockets are filed down slightly 
in their middle so that they may bear against the sides of the 
sockets for short distances only, near the tops and bottoms of the 
holes. 

A circular polished plate, i, of sheet brass, centrally located 
on the upper face of the wheel serves to give the latter a finish, 
and to assist in binding it with small screws upon the turned 
wooden hub, k. Into the ball, b' , is inserted vertically a short 
piece, /, of j£ -inch round wooden rod having a rounded top to 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



235 



reduce the friction between itself and the connecting rod whose 
end it supports. A round-topped conical wooden crank pin, m, 
rising from the wheel, supports the other end of c. The lower 
end of m is turned down slightly and glued into a ^-inch hole 
bored through one of the arms of d near the hub. The connect- 
ing rod, c, works freely on two slender wire nails which pass 
loosely through transverse holes in the rod near its ends and 
enter / and m respectively. 

On the base of the machine on opposite sides of g, and at equal 
distances from it, are erected vertically, and parallel with each 




Fig. 199 — The static electric motor 



other, two rectangular pieces of double-strength window glass, n, 
each measuring 6}i x 5^ inches, the glasses being held firmly 
with shellac between the square wooden cleats, 0. Upon the 
upper corners of each glass are cemented with shellac two solid 
wooden balls, p and p' , the balls being slotted to a depth of y± 
inch to receive the glass. The two balls on each glass are elec- 
trically connected with each other through a straight stiff wire 
passing between them, the exposed portion of the wire being 
covered for purposes of insulation with lengths of glass tubing, q. 



236 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

In each of the balls, p' , a little above its horizontal center, a 
small hole, r, is bored, somewhat slantingly downward, to receive 
the ends of the conducting cords or wires connecting the two pairs 
of stationary balls, respectively, to the positive and negative poles 
of the static machine. The exact distance apart of the holes in c, 
also the radius of the circle described by the movement of the 
crank pin, m, are not given on the drawing, as it is best to deter- 
mine these experimentally. The latter should be such as will give 
about 3/16-inch clearance space between the stationary and the 
moving balls at the end of the latter's travel. To determine the 
former accurately, a temporary experimental rod of flat thin wood 
should first be made. By a few experiments with differently 
spaced pairs of trial holes in the wooden rod a distance will be 
found which will evenly divide the clearance room between the 
stationary and the moving balls at both extremes of the motion 
of the lever. When the proper distance is found the vulcanite 
rod may be marked and drilled from the wooden pattern. 

The hollowing out of the moving balls, by reducing the weight, 
adds considerably to the speed of the motor, and is effected as 
follows: After being bored to a depth of 24 inch, and fitted to 
receive the lever, a, and the vertical pin, /, the balls are neatly 
split apart through the centers of the bored sockets by carefully 
driving into them a thin-bladed case knife, which will open them 
with very little bruising. With a small, sharp gouge each half 
is hollowed out until its walls are not more than Y& inch thick, 
removing all of the material that can be spared without cutting 
away the bored sockets. The halves are then glued together 
again. Before assembling the parts all of the balls must receive 
a conducting coating of tinfoil. This may be neatly done in the 
following manner : The ball is first given a sizing of shellac and 
allowed to dry thoroughly; it is then well smoothed down with 
sand paper. Next prepare two round pieces of foil about 1^2 
inch across, slitting each piece inward from its edge for a dis- 
tance to about 1/3 its diameter. A place upon the ball equal in 
size to that of the foil is now shellacked, as is also one side of 
the foil itself. Wait a few moments until the varnish has become 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 237 

quite "tacky," then lay the foil in position with the varnished side 
against the varnished place on the ball and press down into place, 
allowing the slitted flaps to overlap to prevent undue wrinkling. 
Proceed in like manner with the second piece, locating it as exactly 
as possible on the opposite diameter of the ball. The uncovered 
zone around the equator of the ball is now covered, a piece at a 
time, with strips of foil reaching across it from one end piece to 
the other, and as wide as can be applied without excessive wrink- 
ling, varnishing only such portion of the ball at a time as will be 
covered by the strip to be applied. To avoid too much overlap- 
ping cf each other at their ends the strips are made somewhat 
narrower at their ends than at their middle. After the ball is 
covered all loose corners or edges of foil should be carefully 
shaved off and any wrinkles or rough places nicely burnished 
down with a lead pencil or some smooth implement. An almost 
invisible point left projecting might seriously impair the working 
of the motor by allowing a silent escape of the electricity into the 
air. All the working joints must be made sufficiently loose to 
insure perfect freedom of movement without any possibility of 
cramping or binding, for it must be remembered that the 
mechanical forces of static electricity are of a very delicate nature. 
In operating, to get the best effects, some experimentation will 
be necessary to ascertain the proper degree of electrification ; too 
vigorous excitation will be found as undesirable as too feeble. If 
the foregoing conditions have been complied with, the motor will 
run very satisfactorily from a small Holtz or Wimshurst machine, 
its speed being about 175 revolutions per minute. The completed 
machine is shown in perspective in Fig. 199. The action of the 
instrument depends upon the well-known physical principle of 
attraction between unlike and repulsion between like electrical 
states. When covered wires are run from the opposite poles of 
the generator to the two pairs of fixed balls, the latter become 
charged, respectively, with positive and negative electricities. The 
movable balls, being as yet uncharged, are attracted and drawn 
toward the nearest of the electrified stationary balls, until coming 
close enough, each moving ball receives a spark and becomes 



238 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

identical in polarity with the ball that has attracted it. Attraction 
is now instantly changed to repulsion, and the lever begins to 
reverse its movement. The moving balls, now bearing charges 
opposite in sign to those of the fixed balls they are approaching, 
are strongly attracted by the latter, while repelled by those they 
are receding from. This state persists until the moving balls, 
gaining fresh sparks of opposite sign to those they first received, 
have their electrification reversed and are again repelled. A con- 
tinuous oscillation of the lever with rotation of the wheel results. 
With its crisp-clicking sparks, its general air of brisk activity, 
and the interesting play of the group of curiously correlated 
forces visibly demonstrated, the experiment is a most pleasing 
and attractive one. — 24 

ELECTROSTATIC ILLUMINATIONS: INTERESTING EXPERI- 
MENTS FOR THE INDUCTION MACHINE 

Among the multitude of attractive experimental possibilities 
suggested by high-tension electricity, there is no class of 
phenomena susceptible of more interesting treatment, or in whose 
development lies fairer promise of gratifying result from simple 
apparatus, than the beautiful . luminous effects of the static dis- 
charge over interrupted conductors. A certain few pleasing 
experiments of this character have long formed a familiar subject 
of illustration in most of the older works on physics ; however, 
very little recent effort toward any amplification of these beautiful 
effects has been made. 

Ordinarily, in such experiments the conductor remains at rest, 
its cut spaces illumined by the electric discharge, the value of the 
result as a spectacle depending upon the necessarily limited dispo- 
sition that can be made of the luminous conductor ; but by arrang- 
ing the latter to be kept in rapid motion, so as to call into play 
the phenomenon of persistence of vision, this form of experiment 
becomes at once susceptible of some exceedingly fine adaptations. 

To those having at hand a good static machine the illumination 
of such objects as wine glasses, vases, lamp chimneys or any 
symmetrical glass objects of this sort, becomes easy, and consti- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



239 



tutes one of the most beautiful of all the varied line of possible 
visual effects. Fig. 200 suggests the method of arranging such 
articles for illumination. In the example illustrated a large goblet 
of thin glass is held by three small screws upon a revolving plat- 
form having upon its under side a small grooved pulley which is 




Fig. 200 — Goblet mounted for illumination 



belted for moderately rapid rotation to a suitable hand wheel. A 
single narrow strip of tinfoil, 1/16 of an inch wide, is cemented 
over the glass with thick shellac varnish as follows : Starting under 
the goblet at the spindle of the whirling table, with which it makes 
contact, the strip proceeds to the edge of the foot of the glass, 
which it follows for perhaps an inch; thence in a curved line 



240 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



across the base to the stem, which it ascends in a straight path ; 
then, over the bowl of the goblet in a somewhat sinuous course 
to the upper rim, after following which for about one-third its 
circumference it descends upon the inside, and terminates in the 
center at the bottom. All that portion of the tinfoil on the out- 
side and along the upper rim is divided every eighth of an inch 

with a knife point, those 
parts within and under the 
goblet being left intact. The 
divisions should be carefully 
gone over and examined to 
see that they are all perfect 
and of sufficient width to in- 
sure a good bright spark at 
each break when the current 
from a Wimshurst machine 
is passed through the foil. 
Current is led into the strip 
through binding posts at- 
tached respectively to the 
supporting spindle of the 
whirling table, and to the 
foot of a vertical conducting 
standard formed of brass 
tubing, rising from the base 
of the apparatus at some dis- 
tance from the goblet. The 
, curyed upper part of the 
standard, formed of thick 
wire, is made removable to 
allow of changing the object to be exhibited, one end fitting 
into the brass tube, the other terminating in a fine, straight, 
stiff wire that extends down inside of the goblet, nearly touch- 
ing the end of the tinfoil strip. A piece of glass tubing covers 
the lower part of the standard for purposes of insulation. When 
the glass is whirled rapidly with the static discharge pass- 




Fig. 201 — Luminous goblet 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



24I 



ing over it in a darkened room, the effect is one of exceeding 
beauty. Surrounding objects and even the substance of the goblet 
itself are invisible. Nothing is seen but the brilliantly luminous 
strip, multiplied many times by persistence of vision, and seeming 
to cover the whole glass at once, studding it most beautifully all 
over with innumerable jewels of sparkling light. Some idea of 
the general aspect of the experiment may be gained from Fig. 
201. The ornamental 
irregularity seen around 
the periphery of the foot 
of the goblet is obtained 
by cutting out of that 
portion of the tinfoil fol- 
lowing the edge a sec- 
tion about }i of an inch 
long, producing at this 
point a spark longer and 
brighter than the others. 
The same might be done 
with the upper rim if 
desired. Should it be 
desirable to produce 
these results on a larger 
scale, such objects as fish 
globes, show domes, 
large bottles, etc., may 
be used, the style of 
decoration being capable 
of considerable variation through the disposal of the luminous 
strip. 

One of the finest of luminous optical effects with which per- 
sistence of vision has to do is that known as "Gaissot's wheel," 
produced by the rotation of a single Geissler tube. Owing, how- 
ever, to the fragility and expensiveness of Geissler tubes and the 
difficulty of mounting them safely for rotation, the spectacle is 
rarely exhibited. A beautiful modification of this experiment, 




Fig. 202 — Diagram showing apparatus 
employed 



242 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



utilizing the interrupted conductor, and having the advantage of 
simplicity and substantialness, will be understood from Fig. 202. 
A thin, smooth, well-shellacked board, B, 24 inches long, is 
mounted at its middle on a metallic shaft so as to be capable of 
rapid rotation edgewise. On the back of the board at each end 
are screwed two small plates of sheet brass to which is soldered, 




Fig. 203 — Colored electric star produced with interrupted conductor 



in such a manner as to be concentric with the shaft, a ring, R, of 
stiff wire, about equal in diameter to the length of the board. A 
narrow tinfoil conductor, F, divided at y^-'moh intervals, is laid 
on one-half the board in some fanciful shape, insulating with 
thick, transparent mica wherever the foil crosses or returns upon 
itself. The ends of the strip make contact with the shaft and ring 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 243 

respectively. From the opposite poles, P and P\ of an influence 
machine wires are run, one direct to the shaft and the other 
through an adjustable spark gap to a stationary spring, S, of thin 
leaf copper, or a small tinsel brush, bearing lightly against R. 
When the board is whirled in the dark with the static discharge 
in action, there appears a magnificent, brilliant, many-armed star 
of generous size. The original of the photograph, Fig. 203, pro- 
duced in this manner with a large generator, was over three feet 
across. Exquisite color effects may be secured by placing over 
different portions of the luminous conductor pieces of rmca stained 
thickly with transparent water colors, such as are used for color- 
ing lantern slides, photographs, etc. The speed of rotation, for 
the above experiments should approximate 450 turns per minute 
to insure good persistence effects. 

The spark fulfills an important function in all interrupted con- 
ductor experiments, especially those in which the conductor is to 
be rotated. Evidently, in the latter class, the spark discharge 
from the influence machine must occur at regular time intervals, 
or the elements of the luminous figure will not appear evenly 
spaced. The gap operates to effect the necessary steadiness of 
discharge, besides adding greatly to its brilliancy. It also increases 
materially the power of the generator to overcome a given resist- 
ance. Through its use, in conjunction with the two small Leyden 
jars of a medium-sized Wimshurst" machine, the writer has been 
able to send with ease an apparently continuous discharge 
entirely around a room fifteen feet square over a tinfoil con- 
ductor divided every two inches, the same being shellacked directly 
on to the wall paper near the ceiling, the latter also carrying as 
a center-piece a large circle, similarly made, over four feet in 
diameter. To an observer seeing it for the first time, this effect 
is novel and surprising. The whole atmosphere seems aglow with 
a subdued, mist-like radiance — pale, shimmering, and weird. The 
gap should be arranged between two large, rounded surfaces, 
such as smooth metal or foil-covered. wooden balls, 2^2 inches or 
more in diameter, one of them on a sliding rod for adjustment. 
—24 



244 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

STRATIFICATION IN VACUO: ITS PRODUCTION WITH THE 
INFLUENCE MACHINE 

Every experimenter in electricity who has had to do with 
Geissler tubes has at one time or another marveled at the beauty 
and the mystery of the phenomena of stratification. In producing 
the stratified light in vacuo the Ruhmkorff coil has been generally 
regarded as the only practically available means for the illumina- 
tion of the vacuum. So common has been this impression that 
few experimenters, not even the makers themselves of the tubes, 
have seemed aware of the valuable possibilities of the influence 
machine for this particular form of experiment. This, of course, 
has not been without its reason. While no special precaution or 
nicety of manipulation is required in exhibiting stratified tubes 
with the coil, when such a tube is essayed to be used with the 
static machine the first experiences are usually disappointing. As 
the vacuous space merely lights up with the familiar unbroken 
glow of the ordinary Geissler tube, without any traces of striation, 
the experimenter naturally concludes the desired effect to be im- 
possible of attainment with the static machine. However, with 
attention to a few simple details of technique, striations can be 
developed with the influence machine, having a distinctness and 
beauty, uniformity, and fixity of position never realized with the 
coil method of excitation. 

In bringing out the striae with the static machine two vital con- 
ditions are to be observed; namely, sufficient, though not excess- 
ive current through the tube ; and the careful avoidance of all 
sparking, even of the minutest character, at possible imperfect 
contacts in any part of the circuit outside the tube. The first im- 
plies a generator of sufficient size, to begin with, whose output 
can then be diminished or increased by regulation of its speed. 
In exciting stratification tubes with machines of the Holtz type it 
is generally only necessary to connect their terminals direct to 
the poles of the machine, with careful attention to perfect metallic 
contacts ; the minutest break where disruptive sparking can oc- 
cur destroys the striation and diffuses the light. This precaution 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



245 



attended to, the proper strength of current must be found by ex- 
perimental regulation of the speed of the generator. As the 
machine slowly starts, the light within the tube is first seen as a 
thick nebulous line along the axis of the tube between the elec- 
trodes. This, at first continuous and steady, soon shows signs of 
uneasiness as the machine speeds up, and presently wavers and 
breaks into a beautiful series of brilliant, evenly spaced, isolated 
bands or strata which, when the current strength attains a certain 
value, settle into fixed positions and remain perfectly motionless. 
It is significant of this feature of steadiness that it is one specially 
remarked by De la Rue as characteristic of the striae developed 
in his vacuum tubes by direct galvanic currents, during his now 
historical experiments with high-potential batteries of many hun- 
dred cells ; thus, again, suggestion of the probable ultimate iden- 



m •••tint* 



Fig. 204 — Striation produced with influence machine 

tity of the natures of static and voltaic forms of electrical action 
is here vividly brought to mind. In the study of striation by the 
present method, the almost total absence of the violent oscillatory 
movements, frequent blurring and overlapping, and uneven spac- 
ing of the striae so characteristic of coil excitation, is an obvious 
advantage. The remarkable constancy of the stratification ren- 
ders easy the making of photographic studies, with time expos- 
ures. Fig. 204 illustrates the beautiful uniformity, even spacing 
and perfect segregation of the striae produced with a Wimshurst 
machine in a 12-inch tube, the effect being photographed with 
a three-minute exposure. In exciting stratification with the 
Wimshurst machine (which has probably been more largely made 
and used by amateurs than any other type), a simple device which 
from its function might be termed an atmospheric rheostat is 



246 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



required in conjunction with the tube. This necessity arises from 
a well-known peculiarity of Wimshurst machines, especially those 
of the sectorless type. If such machines are attempted to be 
run on closed circuit, or on a circuit having too little resistance, 
such, for example, as might be offered by a single Geissler's 
tube, their fields suffer such a diminution of potential as to cause 
a serious falling off of the output of the generator ; thus, a tube 
may not receive sufficient energy even from a large generator to 
establish the stratification. This is obviated by supplementing 
the resistance of the tube by that of two air gaps, one on each 
side of the tube in series with it. But as these gaps must not 
be spark gaps, the construction shown in Fig. 205 is adopted. 
Two smooth metallic disks three or four inches in diameter 




Fig. 205 — Atmospheric rheostat for stratification in vacuo with Wimshurst 

machine 



with well rounded edges are mounted in vertical positions on 
short insulating standards. Opposite the center of each disk 
and facing it is an insulated sliding rod terminating in a fine 
sharp point capable of longitudinal adjustment through a space 
of two or three inches. The tube to be exhibited is connected as 
shown between the two middle posts ; the two outer posts are in 
unbroken metallic connection with the opposite poles of the gen- 
erator. With this arrangement the current passes the air gaps 
between the points and disks as a silent, continuous, non-sparking 
discharge and the stratifications within the tube are beautifully 
developed. In using the device, proper polarity is of vital im- 
portance. The point at the left must be connected to the negative 
side of the generator — that side which shows the brush effect on 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 247 

the collecting combs ; the disk at the right is wired to the positive 
pole. If this order be reversed, sparging occurs at the resistance 
gaps and the effect is destroyed. 

The ''stratified" tube, without which no collection of vacuum 
tubes is complete, is a specially prepared Geissler tube exhausted 
to just the proper degree, and containing some particular residual 
gas or vapor whose molecular movement has been found espe- 
cially compliant to certain conditions of vibration, in the peculiar 
ordering of which the phenomena of "resonance" has had strong 
suggestion of probable participation. — 24 

A SIMPLE EXPERIMENT IN STATIC ELECTRICITY 

Of the many interesting effects obtainable with static electricity, 
•one of the most pleasing and instructive is the ringing of a bell 
by alternate attraction and repulsion of a freely-moving insulated 
body. The experiment, however, as ordinarily arranged, is not 
easily available for home demonstration, owing to the usual 
requirement of Ley den jars and machinery for charging. 

Fig. 205 shows how a very pretty impromptu exhibition of 
the experiment can be given, using only such simple apparatus 
as can be assembled in five minutes' time from among the com- 
mon objects of the household. 

A large round pie tin is supported bottom upward upon a clean 
inverted glass tumbler. A small bell borrowed for the occasion 
from the family alarm clock is mounted at a distance of one inch 
from the pie tin upon a sharpened pine stick inserted in a base 
made from a large potato, which has had a flat slice cut from its 
under side to make it set level. The lower edge of bell and pie 
tin are adjusted to exactly the same height. 

From the family button box select a very small round metallic 
button shaped like a shoe button, and not larger if possible than 
a very small pea. Suspend this button by its eye with a silk 
thread from a support made by inserting a slender stick about 
14 inches long into a second potato base, as shown in the illus- 
tration. Adjust the suspended button so that it will hang ex- 
actly in the middle of the space between the bell and pie tin, and 



248 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



at a height coincident with the edge of the bell. The adjustment 
for height is easily made by drawing the thread through a small 
knife cleft in the end of the stick. 

Cut a piece of newspaper of a width equal to the diameter of 
the pie tin, and of a length 2 or 3 inches greater than the width. 
Lay the paper upon a piece of smooth board, which has been 
previously well heated in an oven or over the gas range. Hold 
the paper down upon the hot board by one of its ends, and with 
the palm of the hand rub it strongly and briskly all over in one 
direction, using considerable pressure and taking care that the 
hand is dry and free from all perspiration. After a few strokes 




Fig. 206 — Ringing a bell by static electricity 



the paper will become powerfully electrified, and will be found 
strongly adherent to the board by electrical attraction. Now lift 
the paper quickly by its two ends, and drop it across the tin, 
being careful not to let the fingers touch the tin. See also that 
the corners of the paper do not bend down far enough to touch 
the table. As the charged paper strikes the tin, the little clapper 
begins a vigorous vibration, striking alternately the bell and the 
pie tin, producing a continuous ringing which persists for some 
time. After the button has finally ceased its motion, the mere 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 249 

lifting of the paper off the tin causes it to begin again with 
renewed vigor. 

Under good atmospheric conditions it is not always necessary 
that the charged paper actually touch the tin plate. 

Oftentimes its mere presence in the vicinity of the plate, 3 or 4 
inches above it, is sufficient to set the bell ringing by induction. 
If a small hard pellet about the size of a buckshot (made by 
rolling a little pinch of fresh bread between the fingers) be sub- 
stituted for the metallic clapper, the motions of the pellet, by 
reason of its comparative lightness, will be much exaggerated, 
and the little ball will execute many comical and unexpected 
gyrations. 

The tumbler used must be one of thin blown glass to obtain 
perfect insulation, the heavy tumblers of thick pressed glass 
being entirely worthless for the purpose. Also, a detail not to 
be forgotten is to render the wooden support for the bell elec- 
trically conductive by wetting its surface thoroughly all over, to 
allow the -free escape of the electricity brought to the bell from 
the pie tin by the successive contacts of the clapper. Like all 
other exhibitions of static electric phenomena, the one jiere de- 
scribed succeeds best in cold weather, it being practically useless 
to expect satisfactory results from it with the atmosphere outside 
above the freezing point, though its action is always very grati- 
fying at other times. The experiment as here illustrated con- 
stitutes a very attractive parlor demonstration, which, from its 
simplicity of arrangement and certainty of action, is always in 
favor with the young. — 24 

HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE ELECTRIC ENGINE 

A simple electric engine may be made as follows : Take an 
ordinary electric bell and remove the gong. The striker arm 
should be cut off about ^4 i ncn from the armature leaving the 
butt G. A strip of brass 1/16 inch thick and yi inch wide of 
suitable length is bored at both ends, one end to fit the butt G 
and the other end to fit the crank / of the shaft C. The shaft is 
made of J^-inch diameter brass or steel — care should be taken 



250 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




Fig. 207 — A simple electric engine 



to make the stroke of the crank / the same as that of the arm- 
ature. 

The balance wheel A is fastened to the shaft C. Any wheel 

of suitable size and weight 

■ /L*—\ can be used. In the model 

made by the writer a valve 
wheel 2 inches in diameter 
was used. 

The bearings B can be 
made of strip brass — in the 
model screw eyes were used. 
KK are wire rings soldered 
to the shaft C to keep it in 
place. H is a wire ring 
soldered to the crank to keep 
the strip F in place. When the screw E is properly adjusted and 
the terminals L are connected to a battery the engine will run at 
a high rate of speed. — 12 

A SIMPLE MEDICAL COIL 

Doubtless there are many persons who would like to make an 
induction coil for medical use, but are deterred from so doing by 
the belief that the work is too difficult for any one but a skilled 
mechanic to undertake. This is a great mistake, however, as it 
is quite possible for almost anybody to make a coil that will give 
good results at a cost of but a few cents, and with the use of 
only the most ordinary tools. 

For the core there may be used an iron bolt about three inches 
long and three-eights of an inch in diameter, as shown at A in 
the accompanying drawing. It is a good plan to soften the bolt 
by heating it red hot in a fire and allowing it to cool slowly. 
Make two thin wooden washers about an inch and a quarter in 
diameter, and glue them on the bolt to form a spool as shown at 
B, and cover the iron between the heads with a wrapping of two 
layers of paper glued on. The nut shown is not necessary, but 
makes a neat finish. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



251 



The first part of the winding, or primary coil, requires about 
half an ounce of No. 20 or No. 22 double cotton-covered magnet 
wire. Pass the end of the wire through a small hole in one of 
the heads, and wind on a smooth layer of the wire like thread on 
a spool. When the opposite head is reached wind a second layer 
of wire over the first one back to the place of beginning. Cut 
off the wire and pass the end through a second hole in the head 
near the first one, as shown at D. The excess of wire will be 
useful for connections. 

The next part of the winding, or secondary coil, requires an 
•ounce or two of No. 32 single cotton-covered magnet wire. Finer 
wire gives more powerful 

results because of the P gg C 

greater number of turns a 

for a given weight, but it 
is rather delicate to han- 
dle. Before winding on 
any of this wire, glue on 
.a wrapping of two or 
three layers of paper over 
the primary coil, to keep 
the two coils entirely 
separate. The secondary 
wire need not be wound 
in layers, though care is 
required to avoid injuring the insulation or breaking the wire by 
pulling it too tight. The two ends may be left projecting, as 
shown at H, for connection to two handles or electrodes, and 
the coil may be protected by a final wrapping of paper, as shown 
at C. 

One pole of a dry battery E is connected to the tang of a large 
tile F, and the other to one of the primary terminals D. The 
remaining primary terminal G is then lightly dragged along the 
•surface of the file, thus making and breaking the circuit in rapid 
succession as the wire passes over the teeth. If the shocks re- 
ceived from the handles are too strong, use a longer piece of wire 



"\ 


^V_r 


c 




y^j 


r e 




3 


£7 

G 


^-... . 


17 


— ; - j - 




^wtk 



Fig. 208 — A simple medical coil 



252 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



at G ; if too weak, add another dry battery in series, or put more 
wire on the secondary. — 95 

AN EASILY MADE MAGNETO MACHINE FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL 

EFFECTS 

As one of the diversions of an evening's entertainment for a 
company of young folk there is perhaps nothing that will con- 
tribute so much to the general enlivenment as some means of 




Fig. 209— A magneto machine of simple construction 



giving electric shocks. Of the various devices for producing 
shocks nothing is more convenient and satisfactory than the 
magneto machine. 

A simple magneto-machine of novel construction designed 
especially for physiological effects is here described. Fig. 209 
shows the completed machine. Fig. 210 gives details of con- 
struction. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



253 






Four ordinary 5-inch horseshoe magnets, d, are clamped in a 
bundle with their like poles in contact upon a horizontal brass 
shaft, a, 3/16 of an inch in diameter. The magnets are held, two 
on each side of the shaft, by clamping plates, b, of thick sheet 
brass, drawn together against the faces of the magnets by small 
brass machine screws. 

At their butts the pairs of magnets bind directly upon the 
shaft ; at their open ends they clamp upon a rectangular strip of 
No. 22 sheet brass, c, half an inch wide, soldered transversely 
upon the shaft near the ends of the magnets. 




Fig. 210 — Details of the construction 

At its middle the brass strip has bent into it a shallow cross- 
groove, y, conforming to the shape of the shaft, the depth of the 
groove being just sufficient to bring the plane of the wings of 
the cross-piece coincident with the shaft's axis. 

In front of the magnet's poles are fixed, horizontally, two bob- 
bins of fine insulated wire, e e' . The bobbins have ^-inch soft 
iron cores, f,i l /2 inches long, attached by small machine screws, 
h, to the vertical limb of an iron yoke, g, made of 2x^-inch 
strap iron bent at right angles and attached to the base of the 
instrument with wood screws. . 



254 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

The bobbins are formed by driving tightly upon the cores cen- 
trally apertured disks, i. of vulcanized fiber or hardwood ]/% inch 
thick and Ij4 inches diameter. The space between the bobbin 
heads for each coil should be V/% inches. An insulating wrapping 
of paper is shellacked upon the cores between the heads and 
fitted tightly up against them. The spools are wound full of 
No. 36 single-wound silk-covered copper wire, 2^/4. ounces being 
required for each spool. The windings of the two bobbins are 
joined together like the windings of an electro-magnet. 

The ends of the bobbin cores are provided with flat pole-pieces,. 
j, made of ^-inch strap iron, attached to the cores with flat- 
headed machine screws. The pole-pieces are rounded at their 
outer ends to conform to the shape of the bobbin heads, whose 
diameter they equal in width, their inner ends being left straight 
with a vertical space, k, between them whose width equals that 
of the opening between the poles of the magnets. The bobbins 
should be placed only just far enough apart to admit the free 
passage of the shaft between them. One end of the magnet 
shaft is journaled in the bobbin yoke, and projects 1 inch beyond 
it. The opposite end turns in a support, I, made of i^4 by J^-inch 
strap iron carrying at its upper end a grooved hand-wheel 6 
inches in diameter, which is belted with a waxed cord onto a 
%-inc.h grooved pulley, m, carried by the shaft. 

The magnets should revolve as closely as possible to the pole 
pieces, much of the effectiveness of the machine depending upon 
the nearness of approach at this point ; therefore, the pole pieces 
are dressed perfectly flat and level and set so as to face the 
magnets squarely. Should the magnets differ slightly in length 
they should be clamped together and all ground to uniform 
length. 

The coils are in permanent electrical contact with the magnet 
shaft through its bearings, by way of the connection uniting 
the bobbin yoke and hand-wheel standard, and carrying the 
binding post, p. The terminal, Q, connects with a vertical sheet 
brass spring, r, yZ an inch wide, bearing against the side of the 
projecting end of a, and carrying the binding post />'. All these 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 255 

connections are made underneath the base, the terminals passing 
through an insulation lined hole, x, in the bobbin yoke. 

For varying the strength of all currents given by the machine 
the magnet shaft has an end play of about 5/16 of an inch to 
allow of changing the distance of the magnets from the bobbin, 
this movement being limited by a set-collar, t, and regulated by 
an adjusting screw, u, held by a split metallic post, v, the screw 
bearing against the end of a. A similar screw, u, passing below 
a serves to hold the spring, r, permanently out of contact with 
a when desired. 

With the spring held away from the shaft, the ordinary coil 
currents traverse the wires to the posts p and p' , yielding pleasant 
effects of moderate intensity. 

With the spring in contact with the shaft a short circuit is 
formed through g, I, a, r, Q, whose interruption at proper moments 
causes the powerful shocks of the self-induced or "extra" cur- 
rents. The short circuit is broken twice during a revolution of 
the magnets at the instant when the coil current attains its 
maximum, which is just as the magnets reach a horizontal position 
before the coils. The breaks are effected by the pressing of the 
spring away from a by the projecting ends of a small plug, s, 
of hard wood driven tightly into a 1/ 16-inch hole drilled through 
the shaft % of an inch from its end in a plane parallel with the 
cross-piece, c, the ends of the plug being filed away until they 
project barely above the shaft's surface. 

The facility with which sinusoidal electrical impulses of slow 
period can be produced with this machine renders possible cer- 
tain curious physiological effects not obtainable with induction 
coils, one or two of which effects will be mentioned. The best 
results are obtained with sponge hand-electrodes wet with salt 
water. Set the machine for the sinusoidal current with r and a 
out of contact. Place the sponges upon the closed eyes and 
revolve the magnets very slowly. A bright globe or aureole of 
violet light will alternate before the vision from one eye to the 
other as the current changes polarity. 

Press the electrodes firmly against the head directly behind 



256 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

the upper parts of the ears, and turn slowly. The experimenter's 
room, with its whole contents, will seem to rock and tip in a 
most pronounced and riotous fashion. 

Place the electrodes upon the temples, well forward, and move 
them about slightly until the exactly proper spot is found, and 
the eyes will be violently winked alternately in a vigorous man- 
ner. By holding one of the electrodes in the hand and exploring 
the face with the other, nerve centers can be found whose stimu- 
lation will cause various other amusing facial contortions ; thus, 
reckless twitching of the mouth and chin, dog-like wrinklings of 
the nose, etc., may be effected. These experiments are perfectly 
harmless and need not be feared. When not in use the magnets 
should be protected by broad flat armatures of strap iron laid 
upon the sides of the bundle near the poles. — 24 

MACHINE FOR WINDING COILS 

A simple and inexpensive machine can be made as follows for 
winding No. 38 bare copper wire for making induction coils 
that give sparks up to 2 inches, without the use of a lathe : Make 
four pulleys of wood 4 inches in diameter by J/£ inch thick, and 
cut a groove in each pulley for a string belt. Fasten two of the 
pulleys on one end of a round piece of wood A, about 1 inch in 
diameter. Space the pulleys 1 inch apart. On the other end 
fasten a crank. Mtount the round piece of wood in a couple of 
standards, so that it can be revolved by the crank. Put two small 
pins in the outside pulley B, to project from the face of the wheel 
about y\ inch. This will act as a face plate to hold the coil. 
Drill two holes ]/^ inch deep in one end of the coil, to slip on the 
two small pins, so that the coil will revolve when the crank is 
rotated. The rear end of the coil is held by a screw C, in the 
same way as it would be held in a lathe. The feed screw D is 14 
inches long by yi of an inch in diameter, and has 16 threads per 
inch cut for a length of 12 inches. In the middle of the un- 
threaded 2-inch space a piece of wood E, 1 inch thick, is fast- 
ened, with a screw that runs through the wood and iron. At 
one end of the piece of wood a clutch is arranged to slide either 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



257 



way. Two of the 4-inch pulleys have a number of holes around 
the outside. A pulley is placed on each side of the clutch on the 
feed screw. The clutch will engage the holes in the outside of 




F M 

Fig. 211 — Details of the coil winder 





11 






^^HB * 












m 1 . ,,•% 








-■--^ L: 


___..!' 



Fig. 212— General view of the coil winding machine 



one of the pulleys. By moving the clutch, one pulley will be 
engaged and the other released. One pair of pulleys is con- 
nected by a straight belt, the other by a crossed belt. It will be 



258 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

seen that the feed screw will carry the wire to one end of the 
coil. When the clutch is thrown, it will engage the holes in the 
other wheel, changing the direction of rotation of the feed screw, 
and the wire spool will be moved to the other end of the coil. 

The wire will wind true, and the coils will have the same pitch 
as the feed screw. Two slots are cut in the cross pieces of the 
frame for two small bolts to be used for tightening the belts. 
The two string belts are placed entirely around each wheel, to 
prevent slipping. — 45 

STORAGE BATTERY WITHOUT CHEMICALS 

An experimental storage battery, having qualities of interest, 
and at least remotely suggestive of commercial possibilities, may 
be constructed at a cost of a few cents, as follows : 

Provide four strips A, B, C, D, of thin cloth (calico will 
answer), the strip A being 20 feet long and 4 inches wide, the 
strip B 18 feet long and 3 inches wide, the strip C 10 feet long 
and 4 inches wide, and the one designated as D 9 feet long and 
3 inches wide. Procure an ordinary battery jar, E, of cylindrical 
form, a pound of commercial flake graphite, a few gum bands, 
and two pieces of No. 30 bare copper wire, one (G) being 20, 
and the other (H) 10 feet in length. These parts and materials, 
together with a carbon rod F of the kind used for arc lighting, 
comprise everything needed except water and enterprise. 

Spread out the strips B and D, shower them liberally with 
water, and dust the graphite upon them. Then stroke them off 
with the hand. This will remove all excess of graphite, and leave 
them shining like strips of new tin plate. A single coating of 
the graphite upon one face of the cloth is sufficient. 

Spread out the strip A, which remains uncoated, and lay the 
strip B centrally upon it, so as to leave exposed all margins of 
the strip A, its ends extending equally and in opposite directions 
beyond the ends of the strip B. Extend the wire G along the 
strip B from one of its corners to the opposite corner, the wire 
thus being slightly oblique relatively to the strip, and extending 
a couple of feet beyond one corner. Next place in position the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



259 



strip C, which remains uncoated, centering it lengthwise in rela- 
tion of the other strips, and bringing its longer edges flush with 
those of the strip A. Place the strip D on the strip C, leaving all 
margins equally matched. Stretch the wire H along the strip D, 
from one corner to the corner opposite, the wire being slightly 
oblique to the strip, so as to cross the wire G and leaving a foot 
of the wire H projecting. 

Wind the projecting end (2 feet long) of the wire G tightly 
around the carbon rod F, and lay the rod squarely across the 
adjacent end of the strip B, so as to make good contact with the 
graphite. This will leave a foot of the strip A extending from 




Fig. 213— Storage battery without chemicals 



the rod F. Bend this extending portion back over the rod so as 
to cover it, and then, using the rod F as a spool, roll it along, 
pressing it down hard; and thus wind tightly upon it all of the 
strips and both of the wires, so as to form a hard roll having 
generally the appearance of a solid white cylinder. Stretch two 
or three rubber bands around the roll, so as to hold all of its 
parts rigidly in position. Find the projecting end of the wire H, 
and leave it exposed. Set the roll into the jar, so that the exposed 
portion of the wire H and also a portion of the carbon rod F 
extend upwardly. Now fill the jar with water, preferably sub- 
merging the roll to within half an inch of its top. 

This completes the battery. In some instances it may be im- 



26o HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

proved by making the strips A C of cloth thicker than above 
designated. 

The battery may be charged from an ordinary dry cell, by 
connecting the zinc shell of the dry cell with the carbon rod of 
the storage battery, and the carbon of the dry cell with the pro- 
truding wire of the storage battery. After being thus charged 
for fifteen or twenty minutes, the storage battery may be discon- 
nected, after which it will yield, for a few minutes at least, a 
current not differing greatly from that with which it was charged, 
and adequate to operate a telegraphic sounder or an electric bell. 
If the energy of the battery be conserved by leaving the circuit 
open, the charge may last for several days. Like other storage 
batteries, this one, after being partially exhausted, will recuperate 
to some extent if the circuit be left open, though of course the 
total energy it gives out can never exceed that with which it is 
charged. 

This device is in every sense a true "gas" battery as well as a 
storage battery. While it is being charged, the current sent 
through it disintegrates a portion of the water into its two com- 
ponent gases. The hydrogen, being disengaged throughout the 
entire length and breadth of the graphite coating carried by the 
strip B, is simply absorbed or occluded within the pores of the 
cloth, and thus effectively held as a free gas in a state of captivity. 
The oxygen, being in part in its allotropic form of ozone, is 
similarly collected and held in the strip C. The strip A, holding 
the hydrogen, being twice as long as the strip C holding the 
oxygen, is adapted to hold twice as much gas, thus compensating 
for the difference in volume between the hydrogen and oxygen. 
Both gases, being freshly liberated, are in their nascent state and 
eager to recombine. After the charging is completed, therefore, 
and a conducting path is established from one of the coated 
strips to the other, the gases recombine, forming water, and in 
so doing they generate an electric current flowing in a direction 
opposite to that of the current previously used for breaking up 
the water and forming the gases. 

It is a fact not generally known that if a quantity of hydrogen 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



26l 



m> 



WOOL 



USSS 



WSL 



3E 



and a quantity of oxygen be subjected as nearly as practicable 
to the same physical conditions, they will present relatively to 
each other a difference of potential of about a volt and a half. — 34 

HANDY FORM OF VOLTAIC BATTERY 

The battery shown in Fig. 214 is contained in a vulcanite case, 
closed at the two ends by screw caps. The battery proper con- 
sists of alternate layers of zinc and carbon, with the alternate 
pairs of layers separated by a layer of wool or other absorbent 

material soaked in a solution of sal 
ammoniac. The advantages claimed 
for this construction are compactness, 
and all the advantages of a dry cell 
with rechargeableness of a wet cell, 
thus greatly lessening the cost of up- 
keep. The voltage and amperage can 
be regulated by the size (diameter) 
and number of disks used. — 9 

HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE DRY 
BATTERY 

Often the experimenter is in need 
of a good dry battery of a certain size 
or shape for some particular work, 
where the ordinary standard sized cell 
is either too large or not of the right 
shape for the same work. An inex- 
pensive dry cell that will produce re- 
sults, and can be made by anybody 
capable of handling a soldering iron, 
has long been the desire of every experimenter. The cell as de- 
scribed herein has been used for many purposes and with mar- 
velous results by the writer, and has been used in other shapes 
where economy in space was desired, such, for instance, as in 
wireless telegraphy. 

To make a cell of the standard size, a strip of zinc of medium 
thickness, 8^4 inches long and 6 inches wide, is necessary. The 



* 



ag- 




Fig. 214 — Sectional view of 
the voltaic battery 



2&2 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

zinc is rolled into a cylinder 6 inches long and 8 inches in cir- 
cumference, thus leaving a quarter of an inch which is to be 
tightly soldered. A zinc cap is next soldered on one end of the 
cylinder. Any solder showing on the inside is to be well shel- 
lacked. Do not shellac any zinc surface, as that will interfere 
with the action of the battery. Line the inside of the cylinder 
with a thin layer of blotting paper. For the positive pole of the 
battery the carbon from a wornout cell is the best if procurable, 
but if not, a bundle of arc light carbons with the copper surface 
well filed off is the next best. The chemicals for producing the 
action that generates the electricity are, Y\ pound of sal am- 
moniac, 34 pound of chloride of zinc (paste form), *4 pound 
oxide of zinc, and Y\ pound plaster of Paris. These salts should 
be thoroughly mixed with a mortar, and packed tightly in the 
cylinder about the carbon, which is a half inch from the bottom 
of the cell. This paste will fill the cylinder to within half an inch 
of the top, the rest being filled with paraffine. A copper terminal 
soldered to the zinc and a heavy copper wire scraped clean and 
bound about the protruding end of the carbon, form the negative 
and positive connections for the cell. 

This cell can be easily formed in various other shapes to suit 
the experimenter's fancy. The cell herein described, if con- 
structed according to specifications, will produce very satisfactory 
results, especially in ignition work or for wireless telegraphy. It 
will register about 1 2/5 volts and between 10 and 15 amperes. 
— 100 

RESTORING A DRY BATTERY 

The best possible manner by which to restore partially the 
strength of a dry battery is to proceed as follows : Bore several 
small holes with a 34-inch bit around the carbon of a battery, to 
within an inch of the bottom. Fill these holes to within J^ inch 
of the top with water, and the remaining y 2 inch with paraffine, 
or better still, sealing wax. The writer has taken a cell that was 
in such a worn-out state as to barely "flicker" a tangent galvano- 
meter, and subjected it to this process, after which it read and 
easily maintained five amperes. 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 263 

A battery can be made by filling a crock with a saturated solu- 
tion of the chemicals of a dry cell with water. Bundles of carbon 
and zinc are placed on this solution for the + and — poles. This 
battery is especially adapted for closed-circuit work. — ioo 

A HOME-BUILT ALTERNATING-CURRENT MOTOR 

A small motor can be constructed by any one having ordinary 
skill in the use of tools, and having access to a screw-cutting 
lathe with a swing of nine inches or more, by following the 
instructions given here. 

The motor is of the type known as a "creeping field" induction 
motor, and is designed to run on a ioo- to 120-volt, 60-cycle, 
single-phase alternating-current circuit, such as is now in wide- 
spread use for the lighting of dwellings. Being a four-pole 
motor, it will run at a speed of something like 1,600 revolutions 
per minute, and will, if well made, deliver about % horse-power. 
This is sufficient to drive either a 16-inch brass fan, a small lathe, 
a 50-watt dynamo for generating direct current for charging 
storage batteries, or, in fact, almost any kind of work that can 
be done by one-man power. It should be noted, however, that a 
creeping field motor is adapted to run in one direction only; so 
that when set up for driving a screw-cutting lathe the motor 
should be belted to a light countershaft having two belts, as is 
done when steam power is used. For most other cases where 
reversing has to be done it is sufficient to merely turn the motor 
around and put the pulley on the other end of its shaft. 

A small alternating-current motor is much easier to build 
than a direct-current motor, for the reason that the armature, or 
"rotor" as it is called in an A.C. machine, requires no such deli- 
cate parts as insulated wire coils, commutator, and brush-rigging. 
The field magnet, or "stator," offsets much of this advantage, 
however, as it is impossible to use an iron or steel casting for this 
part, since the entire magnetic circuit must be built up of thin 
plates of sheet steel. If a solid casting were used the alternating 
current would set up wasteful or eddy currents within it, and the 
motor would be burned up by the energy thus converted into 



264 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



heat. In factories where small motors of this kind are made, 
the thin sheets for the stator and rotor are punched out by ma- 
chines built for the purpose. For the amateur, however, the only- 
successful way in which so many irregular-shaped pieces of 
metal can be made all alike is to first bolt the required number of 
steel sheets on the face-plate of a lathe, and then bore out the 
inside and turn off the outside to the required dimensions. This 




Fig. 215 — Details of stator and rotor core plates 



will leave a heavy ring made up of the sheets, on the inside of 
which, in the case of the stator, the four pole-pieces can be readily 
formed by drilling and sawing away. When finally completed, 
the stator and rotor core plates should have the form and dimen- 
sions as shown in Fig. 215. 

For the stator core about 25 pounds of thin sheet steel are 
required, cut 7 inches square. This is sold at hardware stores 
under the somewhat misleading trade names of "Russia iron," 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 265 

"sheet" or "stovepipe iron/' and "roofing tin." The most desir- 
able thickness is about 15/1,000 or 1/64 of an inch, but anything 
thicker than 25/1,000 will answer the purpose. If roofing tin is 
selected, the cheaper grades are the most desirable, and better if 
somewhat rusty. When tightly compressed, the bundle of sheets 
should measure !]/§ inches in thickness or a trifle over. 

If the lathe is large enough to swing a piece 1 1 inches in diam- 
eter, the bundle of sheets may be mounted on the face-plate with- 
out further trimming; but if a 9- or 10-inch lathe is. used, then 
an inch or so must be clipped from the four corners of each of 
the sheets. The ease with which the work of boring and turning 
can be done depends very much on how firmly the sheets are 
bolted to the face-plate ; and if the following method is adopted, 
the mass will behave almost as if it were a solid block. 

Procure about ten pieces of stiff, hard wrapping paper, and 
two flat pieces of sheet brass not less than T /% inch thick, all of 
them being the same size as the steel plates. Lay the face-plate 
on the bench, face up, and pile on it first the paper, second one 
of the brass plates, third the bundle of steel sheets, and finally the 
remaining brass. Straighten up the pile as neatly as possible, and 
have the centers of all the pieces coincide as nearly as may be 
with the center of the face-plate. The whole must be firmly 
clamped together by means of four wood or metal clamps, to hold 
the mass while it is being drilled for the four bolts that are to 
hold it on the face-plate while it is bein£ bored and turned. To 
mark off the places for these four bolts, first find the true center 
of the upper brass plate by measuring from the periphery of the 
face-plate with a pair of dividers or with a rule and square. 
From this center strike a circle of 2 5/16 inches radius on the 
brass. When this circle is divided into four equal parts, the 
points so found will be at the corners of a square which will 
measure a trifle over 334 inches on a side. The bolt holes are 
drilled through these corners, so that the whole mass may be 
bolted together with machine bolts not less than }£ inch in diam- 
eter. (See Fig. 216.) At least two of the bolts may be made to 
pass through the radial slots in the face-plate, but if the latter 



266 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



is provided with six such slots it will, of course, be necessary to 
bore right through the plate in making the other holes. As soon 
as each hole is drilled put in the bolt for which it was made from 
the front side, and tighten up the nut. When all have been tightly 




Fig. 216 



Fig. 217 




rACE-PCATE 




Fig. 218 Fig. 219 

Figs. 216-219— Details of face-plate work 

set up, the clamps may be removed and the face-plate will be 
ready to be screwed on the lathe spindle. 

"Make haste slowly" is one of the secrets of success in working 
a pile of laminae in a lathe. Put in the back gears and run the 
belt on the largest of the cone pulleys, keeping the speed of the 
work down to thirty revolutions per minute or even less. An 
ordinary V-shaped threading tool, as shown in Figs. 216 and 217, 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 267 

is one of the best to use. Feed the tool slowly by hand. As each 
successive plate becomes nearly cut through the tool will catch 
in the ragged edge and the entire piece to be removed will be 
quickly torn out. When the bulk of the metal has been thus cut 
away, the pieces may be bored and turned to the exact dimensions 
with ordinary tools and slow power feed. Make the bore 2> Z A 
inches in diameter, and the outside 6^8 inches. 

Before unscrewing the face-plate from the lathe, take a light 
cut off the face of the brass plate so as to make the part of it 
lying outside of the bolt heads perfectly true. By placing a sharp 
pointed tool in the carriage it will then be easy to mark off two 
circles on the brass, the one being 6}i inches in diameter and the 
other 5^8 inches. These circles will form accurate guides for 
laying out the permanent bolt holes and the pole pieces, in accord- 
ance wi£h the drawing in Fig. 215. 

Divide the outer circle into four equal parts, choosing points 
midway between the bolt heads. If this is done, the removal of 
the metal between the pole pieces will take away also the old 
bolt holes, which form no part of the finished core plates. Mark 
out the outline of the pole pieces on the surface of the brass, and 
drill all necessary holes before removing the laminae from the 
face-plate. As shown in Fig. 218 there are to be four 3/16-inch 
holes, A, for the permanent bolts, four 5/32-inch holes, B, to 
form the bottoms of the slots in the pole faces, and four circular 
arcs, C, made by drilling 3/16-inch holes as closely together as 
can be done without danger of the drill breaking through from 
one hole to the next. These last holes will have their centers all 
on the circle 5^ inches previously marked on the brass. It is 
to be noted that the four holes, A, must pass entirely through the 
second brass plate, but the others need be only deep enough to 
pass through the steel plates. 

When all the holes are drilled, the laminae will be ready for 
removal from the face-plate. This can be best done by taking 
out' at first only three of the bolts, after which the bundle of 
plates may be swung around on the fourth, to permit of the 
insertion of some of the 3/16-inch bolts. This prevents the 



268 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

springing apart of the plates and avoids the danger of a mix-up. 
The laminae, now tightly clamped between the brass plates, must 
next be held in a vise while the eight cuts indicated in Fig. 4 by 
dotted lines and the four small slots in the pole faces are made 
with a hacksaw. The pieces containing the original large bolt 
holes can then be easily removed, thus leaving the stator plates 
finished except for roughness, which must be carefully removed 
with a file. Finally the brass plates may be removed and thrown 
aside. The operations in the lathe have made a very intimate 
contact between successive laminae, so that as far as being an 
electrical Conductor is concerned the stator might now almost as 
well have been cut out of a solid block. It is very well worth 
while, therefore, to take apart the laminae, remove the burrs from 
each one separately with a fine file, wash them in a pan of ben- 
zine to remove oil and loose filings, and finally to give each plate 
a coat of very thin shellac on one side only before reassembling. 
It is quite important that the plates be not mixed up during these 
cleaning operations, as the inevitable irregularities in the form 
of the different poles and in the location of the bolt holes makes 
it impossible to reassemble the plates in any other than their 
proper positions. To avoid this mixing pass a stout string about 
four feet long through one of the bolt holes and tie a big knot 
at each end. The plates may then be handled separately, and then 
be finally put back as they were at first. The finished core must 
be exactly 1% inches thick. 

The work of making the rotor core plates is much easier than 
that of the stator, so only a brief description is necessary. 

The material required is about 8^2 pounds of sheet steel (sim- 
ilar to that used in the stator) cut 4 inches square, and two copper 
plates of the same size and f/g inch thick. These copper plates 
are not used merely to make the work of clamping and turning 
easy, as in the case of the stator, but are to be left at each end 
of the finished core. If suitable copper plates cannot be obtained, 
some ^/6-inch brass may be substituted. Protect the face-plate 
with sheets of paper, as before, and bolt on the metal plates with 
four ^-inch bolts. Strike a circle 2 inches in diameter on the 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 269 

upper copper plate, and divide this into four equal parts to find 
the place for the bolts. On large lathes the hub of the face-plate 
will be in the way. In this case screw the bolts into tapped holes 
made for them either in the face-plate itself or in a heavy, flat 
metal plate bolted on it. 

When the material has been fastened, turn off the outside 
smoothly to a diameter of 3 11/16 inches. Mark off on the top 
copper plate a circle having a diameter of 3 13/32 inches and 
divide up this circle accurately into 37 equal parts, and mark the 
points so found with a center punch. The correct spacing can 
be found only by repeatedly "stepping off" around the circle with 
a pair of dividers, trying different distances between their points 
until it comes out just right. 

It may appear at first sight as if 37 were an unnecessarily 
difficult number of holes to space off, and that 36 might just as 
well be substituted, but this is not true. It has been found by 
experiment that the number of slots should be an odd one. One 
of the reasons for this will be self-evident if one considers what 
would happen if the rotor were provided with only four such 
slots, of somewhat larger size, or, to go to an extreme, if an iron 
cross were to be substituted for the rotor. When the arms of 
this cross came opposite the four polar projections of the stator 
they would be very firmly gripped by the magnetic flux, and it 
would take considerable force to twist the cross out of the mag- 
netic path. After being twisted far enough, however, to become 
released from the attraction of the poles, the cross would move 
forward with a jerk to the next favorable position. In a four- 
pole motor, then, the rotor must not have a number of slots 
divisible by four, or it will, to a less extent, be found to turn 
with little jerks that result in vibration and noise when the motor 
is running, in addition to interfering with its starting. 

Drill the 37 holes for the slots with a No. 3 drill, which is 0.213 
of an inch in diameter, and make sure that they are deep enough 
to pass clear through the second copper plate. After the holes 
are finished it will be necessary to clamp the laminae to the face- 
plate so that the four bolts in the middle may be removed to per- 



27O HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

mit of the inside being bored out. One way to do the clamping is 
to pass six or eight 3/16-inch bolts through as many of the 37 
slot holes, but the method shown in Fig. 219 is better. Four 
^-inch bolts applied as shown will grip the laminae quite firmly. 
Bore out the inside smoothly to a diameter of 2^ inches, and 
before removing the laminae from the face-plate fit three or four 
wood sticks in the small holes to keep the bundle of laminae 
from falling apart. The final operation is to put the plates in a 
vise and with a thin hacksaw cut through the little bridge of 
metal that separates each of the 37 holes from the outside, when 
the plates will appear as in Fig. 215. The saw-cuts ought not 
to be more than 1/32 inch wide. If the saw cuts wider than this, 
it is well to grind oft some of the "set" by holding the blade flat 
against a grindstone. 

Clean and shellac the rotor core plates as was done with those 
of the stator, and guard against mixing them. Before separating 
the plates file a well-defined groove inside the central hole, so as 
to make a slight notch in each plate to serve as a mark, and then 
pass a stout string through the hole and tie the ends together. 

In Fig. 220 are shown details of the rotor shaft, spider, and 
"winding." The material required for the shaft is a piece of 
cold-rolled steel 9/16 inch in diameter and 7 inches long. This 
should be held in the lathe chuck while truing up each of the 
ends and drilling the centers in them, after which it may be sup- 
ported between the lathe centers and finished all over. Make the 
central portion y 2 inch in diameter and 2^ inches long, and the 
bearing portions 7/16 inch in diameter. The latter, after being 
turned and filed as smoothly as possible, should be given a polish 
with a piece of very fine emery paper wet with machine oil. 

The best material for the spider is a brass casting, for which it 
is not difficult to make a wood pattern by turning off a piece of 
white pine in the lathe. A very good substitute for the brass, 
however, can be made of Babbitt metal, or of ordinary plumbers' 
solder, which can be cast at home in a sand or plaster of Paris 
mold, or even m a wooden one. The rough spider casting should 
be drilled with a 31/64-inch drill, reamed to y 2 inch to fit the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



271 



2 
Crq' 




272 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

shaft, and secured to the latter by pinning with a small steel pin. 
If one of the suggested methods of making the casting at home 
be adopted, there is no reason why the spider may not be cast 
right on the shaft itself, thereby saving the trouble of fitting it 
to the latter afterward. The cylindrical surface of the spider 
must be turned in the lathe to a length of 2^4 inches and a diam- 
eter of 2^2 inches, or rather, to such a diameter as will permit of 
the rotor plates being put on easily without being loose enough 
to shake. On the inside the spider should be finished all over, 
to make it as light as possible and to keep it balanced. The rim 
needs to be about 3/32 inch thick, and the arms and the hub 
about 3/16 inch thick. The six holes shown at A in Fig. 220 are 
not merely for ornament, but are to allow of air passing through 
the machine for ventilation. 

Assemble the rotor core plates on the spider with one of the 
copper or brass plates at each end. Use only enough of the steel 
plates to make a length of 1% inches, which will make the length 
when the end plates are in place just 2 T /& inches long, and leave 
about 1/16 inch of the spider projecting at each end. For the 
"inductors" to go in the slots, procure 7^ feet of No. 4 copper 
wire, which is 0.20431 inch in diameter, and after straightening 
it out saw off thirty-seven pieces each 2]/^ inches long. Clean 
these carefully by scraping each of the ends for about ^4 mcn 
with a knife. The middle portions may be left as they are, but 
if the best results are desired, it is worth while to glue on a wrap- 
ping of thin paper to insulate the inductors from too much con- 
tact inside the slots. Insert the wires in the slot's and rivet all 
the projecting ends by tapping lightly with a hammer until each 
one is expanded enough to prevent its dropping out. The induct- 
ors are next to be soldered to the end plates, to make good elec- 
trical contact all around. To do this, stand the rotor up on end, 
and apply some good quality soldering salts or paste to the riveted 
heads, end plates, and spider. Use a hot soldering copper, and 
apply the solder very generously so as to bury all the rivet heads 
out of sight. When both ends have been thus treated, place in the 
lathe again and true up the soldered rings by turning off the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 273 

solder until the copper inductors begin to show. This will com- 
plete the rotor except for balancing. Take two smooth metal 
rods of any convenient size, and support them about 4 inches 
apart on the upper edges of an empty box, as if to form a minia- 
ture pair of parallel bars. Have them as nearly level as possible, 
and place the rotor shaft with one end on each bar. If the rotor 
is out of balance it will, of course, roll over and stop with the 
lighter side up. Make a mark at this place, and apply a little 
solder to the inside of the spider as near to the arms as possible. 
Increase or reduce the weight as required until the rotor will lie 
indifferently in any position in which it may be placed on the rods. 
This type of rotor is known as the "squirrel cage." 

In Fig. 220 there are also shown some details of a suitable 
external casing for the motor. This is intended to hold the bear- 
ings and the stator plates in a fixed relation to each other, and 
at the same time to protect the delicate stator coils from accidental 
injury. It is to be cast in two halves exactly alike, so that both 
"shields" may be made from the same pattern. Brass castings 
are the easiest to finish in the lathe, but iron is much cheaper. In 
the selection of material, and in the arrangement of the details 
of the casing and bearings, the amateur is advised to use his own 
judgment and skill, provided that the following points are ob- 
served. The rotor must be supported in the exact center of the 
stator field, so that the air-gap under each of the four poles will 
be uniform, or 1/32 inch all around. This desired result will be 
secured as a matter of course, if the seat for the bearing B, 
Fig. 220, the four internal lugs L, and the face F be all finished in 
the lathe at one chucking of the casting. The four bolts passing 
through the stator plates must be long enough to pass also 
through the end shields, to clamp the whole together as shown. 
The bearings may be of either brass or Babbitt metal, and the. 
rotor shaft should turn freely in them without being loose enough 
to shake. Allow sufficient room between the two bearings so 
that the shaft has an "end play" of nearly % inch, and provide 
oil cups of some kind to furnish plenty of lubrication. In the end 
shields there must be several holes to permit air to circulate 



274 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



through the motor and help to keep it cool. If the lathe on which 
the shields are to be finished is not too small, it is a good plan to 
have suitable feet cast on them, so that the finished motor may be 
conveniently bolted fast, in the place where it is to be used. 

All parts of the motor have now been described, except the 



m 







1 ' 


$ 






v 






■ / «* " > 




• Uz * 




Fig. 22i— Cotton 
damper 



Fig. 222 — Coil winding 
form 



winding for the stator, which consists of four copper "dampers'' 
and four coils of wire. The copper dampers are shown in detail 
in Fig. 221. Each one can be cut from a solid piece of copper 
sheet yi inch thick, or they may be built up of several thinner 
pieces having the same total thickness. If the latter method be 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



275 



adopted, the small pieces should be soldered together after they 
are finished, so that they can be handled as single units. 

Figs. 222 and 223 show the winding form for making the stator 
coils. This consists of three blocks of wood held together by a 
bolt and revolved in the lathe by gripping the bolt head in the 




Fig. 223 — Coil winding form and partly taped coil 



chuck. The central block, measuring % by 2 by 2% inches, is 
best made of a piece of hard wood, such as maple or mahogany, 
and it must be quite accurate in each of its three dimensions, since 
these fix all of the dimensions of the coils. The four corners of 
the block must be very slightly rounded, to avoid the difficulty 



276 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

of having to bend the first turns of wire around square corners. 
About two pounds of No. 21 single cotton-covered magnet wire 
is required for the four coils. Each coil is to have 165 turns, 
put on in close, even layers. The number of turns is so impor- 
tant that it is not well to trust to the mind to keep tally while 
winding. Set the gears to feed at some convenient rate, say ten 
threads per inch, and run the tool carriage to the extreme right- 
hand end of the bed and make a chalk mark on the bed at that 
position. Then, when the winding is started, throw in the screw 
feed, and the movement of the carriage to the left of the chalk 
mark will count the turns automatically, for when the carriage 
has traveled 163/2 inches, as measured by a foot rule, the spindle 
will have made the required number of turns. Before beginning 
the winding, it is necessary to provide means for holding the 
turns of the coil together so that the blocks may be afterward 
removed without any danger of the coil coming apart. For this 
purpose, nothing is better than four strips of cotton cloth about 
half an inch wide placed crosswise in the space where the wire 
is to be wound. These may be readily held in place by the first 
turn of wire, or, better still, by a strip of canvas or tough paper 
cut 24 inch wide, wrapped once around the form, and glued to 
itself like a cigar band. Do not attempt to wind the coils by 
power, but turn the lathe head over a little at a time by hand, so 
that the wire can be laid on in closely-fitting, smooth layers. Start 
the winding near the middle of one of the longer (2^-inch) 
sides, and have it end near the same place. It is well to paint the 
inner end, or terminal, black for the purpose of easy identifica- 
tion later on. After putting the required number of turns on a 
coil, tie the ends of each of the four pieces of cloth together and 
remove the blocks. 

Fig. 223 shows the method of applying a final covering of tape 
for protection and insulation. Very thin cotton tape about Yi 
inch wide is suitable, and it should be lapped on itself about half 
way in the winding, so that the coil is really protected by two 
layers. As the taping progresses, the temporary ties may be re- 
moved, but the inner band of canvas or tough paper is to be left 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



277 



there as shown. Where the inner lead or terminal comes out 
across the other layers of wire a piece of paper about y 2 inch 
square should be slipped in to guard against possible short-cir- 
cuits. 

The final assembly is next in order. (See Fig. 224.) The 








1" H <*M& m 






MM 






fSKiftllK ' 






__ ^ 






^r 


^B 




■ijr 


|. ^ 


Wmm p 


• 
^_. _„__ _j 



Fig. 224 — Assembling the part9 



stator plates, in addition to being held together by their four 
bolts, should be tied with string, as shown. The coils are to be 
placed on the poles all in the same position, i. e., all of the faces 
which were next to the lathe head during the winding must be 
turned either toward the rotor or away from it. Do not force 
the coils over sharp corners on the poles and run the risk of 



2yS HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

cutting through the insulation. If the coils do not go on easily,- 
file the corners of the poles round and smooth. The coils and 
the dampers, when once in place as shown, are most conveniently 
held in position by bending outward the first lamina on each side 
of the pole tips, which holds them on as if they were riveted 
there. 

The four coils must be connected in series so as to make the 
poles alternately positive and negative. One way to do this is 
as follows : Beginning at any given point, connect the inner end 
of coil No. i to the inner end of coil No. 2. Next connect the 
outer end of coil No. 2 to the outer end of coil No. 3, and finally 
connect the inner end of No. 3 to the inner end of No. 4, This 
will leave free the outer ends of coils No. 1 and No. 4. If the 
coils are not wound all in the same direction, or are not assem- 
bled at all in the same position relative to their respective poles, 
or the inner and outer leads become confused, then the polarity 
of the poles will not come* out right. To make sure on this point 
connect the two free ends of the winding to a battery of one or 
more cells, and present a pocket compass to each of the pole faces 
in succession. They must show alternately north and south all 
the way around. In case they do not, some mistake has been 
made, and this can be easily corrected by exchanging the con- 
nections of any coil that shows up wrong. When everything is 
right, it is worth while to solder the connections and cover them 
with tape for insulation. Do not apply alternating current to 
the coils unless the rotor is in its place, properly mounted in its 
bearings, and left free to turn. If this caution is not observed, 
the coils will be soon burned up, as their resistance alone is not 
sufficient to prevent their taking too much current from the line. 

When assembling the stator in the casing, see that no part of 
the winding or its connections is pinched or grounded. If any 
connections lie against the frame, slide pieces of tape under them 
and glue them fast. Perfect insulation is much more necessary in 
alternating-current magnets than in direct-current. A short 
circuit between a few of the turns of a coil does no particular 
harm on direct current, but in the case of alternating current tre- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 279 

mendous currents are set up in the short-circuited turns and the 
entire coil is soon burned up. 

The two leads or terminals to the winding may be attached to 
two pieces of rubber-covered flexible cable brought out through 
holes in the casing for the purpose of connecting to the alternat- 
ing-current mains. A much neater way, however, is to attach 
two small binding posts to the casing, from which they can be 
insulated with fiber thimbles and washers. No pulley has been 
shown in the drawings, as the form and dimensions of this will 
depend on the particular kind of work the motor is expected to 
do. For ordinary service a pulley of about 2 inches in diameter 
by 1 }i inches face will probably give the most satisfaction. 

No starting box is required for this type of motor. An ordi- 
nary socket pjug and lamp cord is all that is needed. The rotor, 
on account of the unbalanced pull exerted by the four dampers 
on the poles, will start to revolve as soon as the current is turned 
on, unless it is stuck in its bearings or stalled by an overload. — 95 

SMALL TRANSFORMER FOR BELL CIRCUITS 

It not infrequently occurs that where one has alternating cur- 
rent at no volts available, a lower voltage is required for some 
special purpose, as the operating of sm^.11 lamps of low voltage, 
induction coils, etc. In theory it is a very easy matter to con- 
struct a small step-down transformer to reduce the voltage and 
increase the quantity, but in practice many difficulties arise. The 
windings together with the size and mass of iron in the core all 
have to be taken into consideration to obtain satisfactory results. 
The writer has recently had occasion to construct a transformer 
for the purpose of stepping down an alternating current of no 
volts and 60 cycles, to furnish a current to replace that from a 
series of four to six dry cells for operating a gong-striking device, 
the circuit of which is closed at intervals by a clock, and the cur- 
rent carried through an electro-magnet originally wound to a 
resistance of 4 ohms, this in turn attracting an iron armature 
with hammer, striking the gong. Because the batteries would 
run down rapidly, it was deemed of advantage to make use of 



28o 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



the lighting current already on the premises, in connection with 
the transformer referred to. As the primary windings were con- 
nected across the no- volt mains at all times, and the secondary 
only closed at intervals, it was important that as little current 
as possible pass through the primary windings and register on 
the meter, when the secondary was open. A sufficient number 
of pieces of soft stovepipe iron were cut each 6y 2 inches long and 
1% inches wide, to make two piles, each i 1 /^ inches high; and a 
number of pieces 5 inches long and 1% inches wide were also 
cut to make two piles, each i 1 /^ inches high. These were well 
coated with shellac varnish, and then arranged as shown at C 
in Fig. 225, forming two right angles, the shorter pieces being 
placed between the longer pieces at one end in each case. The 




Fig. 225— Construction of the small transformer 



corner of the pile in each case was then squeezed down in a vise, 
and the iron well wrapped with adhesive insulating tape, putting 
on several layers, but not covering the outer ends for a space of 
1% inches. After releasing the vise, that portion at the angle 
was also covered with tape. The secondary coils were then put 
on, consisting of 100 feet of No. 16 double cotton magnet wire, 
on each of the angle pieces, or 200 feet altogether, and well coated 
with shellac, the windings being in such direction that when the 
two angle pieces were brought into contact at the exposed ends, 
they formed a continuous magnetic circuit. The windings were 
all in one direction. These secondary windings were then cov- 
ered with two layers of cotton cloth, well coated with shellac 
varnish, and the primary windings were put on over the second- 
ary, consisting of 650 feet of No. 28 double-covered cotton mag- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 28l 

net wire on each side, or 1,130. feet altogether, wound in the 
same manner as the secondary, and coated with shellac varnish. 
The exposed corners of the two iron cores were then brought 
together, and clamped firmly, as shown, with iron clamps B, and 
then the whole was mounted horizontally on four large porcelain 
knobs screwed on a suitable wooden base. This served to insu- 
late it, and allow for the passing off of any heat generated. It 
was held in place with strips of tape passing down around the 
knobs. The primary coils (the No. 28 wire) were now connected 
in series, the ending of the coil on the first side wound, being con- 
nected with the beginning of the winding on the last side wound, 
the ending of the last coil, and the beginning of the first being 
connected to the uo-volt, alternating circuit, being bridged across 
it, not cut in in series. The secondary windings were connected 
experimentally in two ways : first, in series, giving 200 feet from 
the terminal of the first winding to the commencement of the 
last winding; and afterward in parallel, the beginning of the 
first and second windings being twisted together, and the endings 
of the first and last windings, giving a length of 100 feet of wire, 
and a decrease of resistance due to the mass of copper. Both 
methods of connecting worked well, the series connecting giving 
14 volts and about 5 amperes, and the parallel 7 volts and about 
10 amperes. For the particular purpose for which this was con- 
structed, it is giving excellent results, there being very little 
heating, even when the secondary is closed, and practically none 
when it is open. 

It was found advisable to change the winding of the electro- 
magnet that strikes the gong, owing to the counter electro-motive 
force generated in it by the alternating current, and it was 
rewound with 60 feet of No. 17 double cotton magnet wire. Its 
cores were about y% inch in diameter, and 2.y 2 inches long. It 
is well to remember that in operating electro-magnets with the 
alternating current, a considerably higher voltage will have to 
be used than in the case of the direct current, owing to the 
choking effect due to counter electromotive force, and that the 
cores should be laminated. Where a current of higher voltage 



282 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

is required, particularly if the transformer is only required to be 
connected with the lighting mains at intervals for operating large 
induction coils, or charging storage batteries through a rectifier, 
etc., it may be made in the same general form as the one just 
described, with the following changes : Make the pieces for the 
core 7 inches long and iy 2 inches wide, and 5 inches long and iy 2 
inches wide, and of such quantity that they will make two piles 
in each case, of a height of 2 inches, and coat with shellac as 
before, and assemble, etc. Wind the secondary with 60 feet on 
each side, or 120 feet altogether, of No. 14 double cotton magnet 
wire well coated with shellac. Put on two layers of cloth well 
coated with shellac, and wind on the primary coils over the 
secondary, consisting of 150 feet on each side of No. 18 double 
cotton-covered magnet wire, or 300 feet on both sides, and coat 
well with shellac. Clamp the two sides together, as in the 
previous case, they being in this case 2 inches thick, and mount 
as in the previous case. Connect the primary windings in series, 
the terminal of the first winding to the beginning of the second 
winding, and the beginning of the first winding and the terminal 
of the second to wires leading to the uo-volt feed wires, to 
which they are connected as in the previous case. The secondary 
windings are connected in series, in the same manner as the 
primary, and a short tap is run out from the point where the two 
coils are connected together, the beginning of the first winding 
and the terminal of the last winding being connected to the cir- 
cuit where the current is to be used. This transformer connected 
in this way will give a current of 40 volts and a maximum am- 
perage of 10. By making connection with the beginning of the 
first winding and the tap between the two windings only, the 
voltage will be 20 ; and by connecting the two windings in paral- 
lel, the two beginning wires of the two windings being twisted 
together and the two terminal wires of the two windings being 
likewise twisted together, the current will be 20 volts, with a 
considerable increase in amperes as compared with the connection 
in series. It will be noted that the secondary winding is put on 
first, the primary being wound over it, the primary being con* 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 283 

sidered as being the current of highest voltage coming from the 
mains to be stepped down, and the secondary being the winding 
producing the current of reduced voltage. An increase in the 
length of the secondary winding increases the voltage of the 
current produced, and a shortening of the secondary winding 
reduces the voltage ; but if any very radical change is made in 
the winding, it may necessitate a change in the amount of iron 
in the core to get the best results. Pieces of fiber or wood may be 
shaped to fit, and slipped over the core to aid in holding the 
windings in place if desired, forming spools as it were. It is 
advantageous to extend the windings, as shown, on both sides 
of the angle, as thus the whole or nearly the whole of the mag- 
netic flux is made to pass through or thread the coils ; but in 
the case of the transformer last described, the amount of wire 
being less and being closer to the core, the windings may be on 
the two opposite sides only, the shorter sections of the core merely 
completing the magnetic circuit, and not being covered with 
wire. Both of these transformers are intended for use on a 
single-phase alternating current of no volts, and of a frequency 
of 60 cycles. The one first described, when the secondary is open, 
uses very little current, rather less than that required for a four- 
candle-power lamp. The normal primary current of the last- 
described transformer is 2 amperes with proper load. — 99 

AN ELECTROLYTIC RECTIFIER FOR CHARGING IGNITION 
BATTERIES 

It is well known that small storage batteries, such as are used 
for automobile ignition, are very easily charged by connecting 
them to a direct-current house-lighting circuit through a suitable 
resistance, but where the -current supply is alternating many have 
supposed that good results cannot be obtained without the use 
of complicated and expensive apparatus for converting the alter- 
nating into direct current. By following out the instructions 
given below, however, an electrolytic rectifier suitable for charg- 
ing a six- volt sixty-ampere-hour battery from no volts can be 



284 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



made and used at home with small expense and satisfactory 
results. 

There are two parts to the required apparatus — the autotrans- 
former for reducing the voltage of the line from no to that 
required by the battery, and the electrolytic cell for rectifying 
the current or causing it to pass always in the same direction. 

The autotransformer is shown by the drawings in Fig. 226. It 
consists of a single coil of magnet wire wound on a rectangular 
wooden spool, inside of which a bundle of steel strips is after- 




Fig. 226 — The autotransformer 

ward placed to form a core. The spool is best made of well- 
seasoned white pine or whitewood, as these soft woods are readily 
obtained and easy to work. It is a good plan to dry the wood 
thoroughly in an oven before it is cut up. 

For the body of the spool, four pieces 2 1/16 inches wide, 4 
inches long, and not thicker than J /\. inch are required. These 
should be securely glued and nailed together so as to form a 
rectangular tube 4 inches long and measuring I 9/16 inch by 
2 1/16 inches on the inside. For the heads, two pieces y 2 inch 
thick, 3^ inches wide, and 4 inches long are needed. Through 
the middle of each a hole about 2 1/16 inches wide by 2 9/16 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 285 

inches long should be cut to fit snugly over the ends of the tube. 
When the heads are securely glued to the central tube, and 
braced by a few wire nails driven into them from the inside, the 
whole will form a strong spool having a space 3 inches long 
between the heads for the winding. The corners of the tube 
where the wire is to be wound must be well rounded off with a 
file, to avoid the difficulty of having to bend the first layer of 
wire around square corners. In one of the heads two small holes 
and a saw cut must be made as shown at 1, 2, and 4 in Fig. 226, 
while in the other head only one saw cut, 3, is needed. These 
holes and slots are for bringing out ends and loops in the wind- 
ing, so that connections may afterward be made to different 
parts of the latter. On the heads of the spool the numbers 1 to 
4 should be plainly carved to avoid confusion. 

The coil is to be wound of No. 16 double cotton-covered 
magnet wire, of which about three pounds, all in one piece, will 
be required. This is to be wound on the spool in eight layers of 
about fifty turns each, as follows : First pass about 4 inches of 
one end of the wire out through the hole numbered 1, and then 
wind on six even layers like thread on a spool. The work can 
be done most easily by clamping the spool on the face plate of 
a lathe and turning it over slowly by hand as the winding pro- 
gresses. It is well to give each layer a coat of shellac before 
winding the next. When the six layers have been put on, make 
a short loop in the wire at saw cut marked No. 2, and allow the 
loop to project outside an inch or so, as shown. Continue the 
winding as before, and at the end of the seventh layer leave a 
similar loop at saw cut No. 3, and finally finish by putting on 
the last, or eighth, layer and passing the end of the wire out 
through hole No. 4. After the winding is complete it should be 
protected from possible injury by a covering of two or three 
layers of cloth fastened with glue or shellac. 

The core is to be made of strips of thin sheet iron or sheet 
steel cut two inches wide. One sixty-fourth inch is a desirable 
thickness, but anything less than 1/32 inch will answer. About 
eleven pounds will be needed for the core, in strips of different 



286 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

lengths varying all the way from II up to 21 inches long. Insert 
the strips into the hole through the spool one by one, putting in 
the longest ones first at the side nearest where the terminals are 
brought out, and finishing up with the shorter pieces at the 
opposite side. Enough strips should be used to fill up the hole 
snugly. If the strips are rusty it will not be necessary to insu- 
late them from each other, but if they are clean and bright it is 
a good plan to insert an occasional strip of paper so as to divide 
the core up into groups of half a dozen sheets each. 

The strips must next be bent around, one at a time, so that 
their ends meet at the side of the coil opposite the terminals. 
Trim off the ends of each strip with a pair of tinner's snips so 
that they meet without overlapping, forming what are known as 
"butt joints." Care should be taken that the successive joints 
do not come in the same place, but overlap each other about two 
inches as they pile up, in the same way as the joints in brickwork. 
After the ends are all in place, they may be held permanently by 
wrapping them with a layer of stout cord (not wire) as shown 
at T, Fig. 226. This completes the autotransformer, though a 
coat of black paint will improve it. 

The electrolytic cell consists of a lead tank nearly filled with 
a suitable liquid in which are immersed two rods of aluminium 
supported by a light wood frame, as shown in Fig. 227. 

The tank should be made of sheet lead not less than 3/32 inch 
in thickness. A good size is 4 inches wide, 9 inches long, and 8 
inches deep. Fig. 227 indicates how a piece of the sheet lead 14 
by 20 inches may be used most economically. Cut out the two 
pieces as shown, fold on the dotted lines so that the joints lap 
on the outside, and solder the seams heavily with ordinary solder. 
Do not try to use a lead-lined wooden tank, as the success of the 
apparatus depends largely on the cooling effect of the surfaces 
exposed to the air. 

For the electrodes, two round aluminium rods ^4 mcn diameter 
and 6y 2 inches long are required. These must be of commer- 
cially pure aluminium, and not the so-called "hard stock" or 
alloy. Fasten to one end of each rod a piece of No. 16 coppei 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



287 



wire to serve as a terminal. The best way to do this is to drill 
a small hole through each rod near one end, and then insert the 
wire and drive down the aluminium with a center punch until 
the wire is tightly pinched. (See A, Fig. 227.) The tank itself 
also serves as an electrode, so that it is necessary to solder a wire 
to it somewhere on the outside. The aluminium rods are best 
supported in the tank by means of a light wooden frame made 
of six pieces as shown at B, into which the rods may be clamped 
by thin wooden wedges driven in where they pass through the 
holes. 



/3£ 



+- + -{ 







Fig. 227 — The sheet-lead tank 



To make up the liquid for the cell, put two pounds of crystal- 
lized sodium phosphate in the tank, and fill up the latter with 
about one gallon of lukewarm (not hot) water or enough to fill 
it to an inch from the top. Stir with a stick until the salt is 
dissolved, and then adjust the aluminium rods so that they dip 
into the solution three inches. 

Before the apparatus can be set at work the rods must be 
coated with a film of oxide. This has to be formed by the alter- 
nating current itself, for which purpose the rods may be tem- 
porarily connected to the no- volt power mains as shown in the 



288 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



first diagram in Fig. 228. A resistance, R, of about ten ohms 
must be used to prevent too much current from passing at first. 
After half a minute this resistance may be gradually reduced to 
zero, and the operation will be completed. 

For actual service the autotransformer, rectifying cell and 
storage battery are to be connected up as shown in the second 
diagram in Fig. 228. The autotransformer may be connected to 
a no-volt lamp socket by means of a sufficient length of No. 16 
lamp cord and an attachment plug. A two-ampere fuse should 
be included in the circuit. 

The windings of the autotransformer have been so proportioned 



//o vol rs 




rr ^n 



//O VOLTS A.C. l^ 














/ 

3 2 








-0 


O- 










" 








J 


-n 


1 1 




1 1 











RECT/F/CR 



storage 
a a ttert 



rect/e/er 



OX/OIZ/NG THE RODS, CHARQ/MQ BATTER^ 

Fig. 228 — Method of connecting up the rectifier 

that when connected to no volts about 2 T / 2 amperes will flow 
through a six-volt, sixty-ampere-hour battery. This low rate of 
charging contributes to long life of the battery, and at the same 
time minimizes the amount of attention necessary in charging, 
since an overcharge at low rate does very little harm. With 
ordinary use of an automobile, a ten-hour charge over night 
every two weeks will keep the battery full and in good order. 

After about fifty or sixty hours' use of the rectifier the sodium 
phosphate solution will become exhausted. This will be indicated 
first by unusual heating of the tank and autotransformer, due to 
leakage currents, and finally by the blowing of the main fuse 
and possibly the discharge of the battery back through the tank 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



289 



and coil. It is therefore necessary to make up a fresh solution 
for the tank and reoxidize the rods after about fifty hours' use, 
or when excessive heating is first noticed. 

The aluminium rods last a long time, and when the lower ends 
become worn thin they may be inverted if care be taken to remove 
every particle of the copper connecting wires. 

The apparatus will charge an eight- volt battery, if necessary, 
but at a slower rate, and it can also be used on a four-volt bat- 
tery in an emergency. In 
the latter case the large cur- 
rents may soon cause over- 
heating unless a resistance 
of about one ohm be con- 
nected in series with the bat- 
tery.— 95 

HOME-MADE ADJUSTABLE 
SOCKET FOR TUNG- 
STEN LAMPS 

The accompanying il- 
lustration shows a very sim- 
ple way of making an ad- 
justable socket for tungsten 
lamps, in which the lamp 
will tend to hang perpendic- 
ularly of its own weight. A 
cage is first made consisting 
of three or more prongs, 
brazed to a split ring, which 
is slipped over the lamp sock- 
et. A similar cage is made 
to slip over the neck of the 
plug. The prongs may also 
be soldered to the socket and 
the plug. These prongs must 
be long enough to extend 
past the center of a solid rub- tungsten lamps 




290 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



ber ball, which is to unite the lamp socket and plug. The rubber 
ball may be purchased at any toy store. 

With a thin metal tube cut a hole through the center of the 
ball. This is easily accomplished by turning the metal tube 
with one hand and holding the ball with the other. By running 
the tube through the rubber a second time at an angle to the 
first hole an oblong bore is made, such as shown in the illustra- 
tion. Through this hole put an ordinary lamp-cord and connect 
one end with the plug and the other with the lamp socket. Now 
screw the plug into the bracket and turn the ball so that the 
lamp socket hangs perpendicularly. Then screw in the lamp. It 
will be seen that almost any angle may be obtained. — 5 

A CHEAP LAMP RHEOSTAT 

A lamp rheostat is sometimes required for experimental pur- 
poses when receptacles for the lamps are not 
available. Where they are watched suf- 
ficiently to avoid any danger from fire, Edi- 
son base lamps may be held in place by nails, 
thereby overcoming the need of receptacles. 
The illustration shows such an arrangement, 
in which a lamp is held in place on a board 
by three nails, A, B, C. No dimensions are 
given for the location of the nails, as their 
proper position is very readily obtained by 
using a lamp as a gage. The edge of the 
board should be about at the junction of the 
base to the globe, as shown. See that the 
nails for holding the various lamps are so lo- 
cated that the globes do not crowd one an- 
other. The wires are connected to the nail 
B and to either A or C. They are twisted 
around the nails and may be soldered thereto 
if desired. When in use the board should be 
laid on a table somewhat larger than itself, 
and with the lamps in a horizontal position. 




Fig. 230— A simple 
lamp receptacle 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



29I 



In case a lamp accidentally becomes loose, the table will catch it 
and prevent its being broken. The lamps are inserted by pushing 
them downward between the nails A and C, and screwing them 
up until contact is made with a nail B. Notice that, with certain 
connections, a short circuit will result if the shell of the base 
touch the nail B at the same time that it touches C. — 54 

OPEN-CIRCUIT TELEGRAPH SYSTEM 

Experimenters and learners of telegraphy often wish to use 
open-circuit cells on short lines, but find that they are unable to 
call other stations without closing (keeping closed) their own 
key. But when the keys are closed the cells are polarized, and 
are soon worthless. The simple arrangement shown in the 



OPEN CIRCUIT CELLS 
SOUNDER || l ine *JIRE OR GROUND 




ii I 'l ( «« 

'I '< i c=p KEYS ALWAYS 

* J "" OPEN 




Fig. 231 — An open-circuit telegraph system 



¥ 



accompanying diagram will obviate all the trouble, enabling them 
to call other stations, and at the same time the keys are always 
open; the cells being used only when the instruments are being 
operated. Any number of additional instruments may be put on 
by following the method indicated in the diagram. — 94 

A TEST FOR TELEPHONES 

A great many so-called "high-resistance" telephones have re- 
cently appeared on the market for use with wireless detectors. 
Some of these have been found to be wound with German-silver 
wire. This gives the required resistance at a greatly reduced 
cost. 

This fraud can be easily detected, even if the German silver is 



292 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

concealed under an outer layer of copper wire, as follows: Bal- 
ance as nearly as possible on a sensitive Wheatstone bridge, so 
that the indicator comes to rest at or near the zero point. Then 
hold down the key for about a minute, allowing the battery cur- 
rent to flow through the apparatus. If ten bobbins of the tele- 
phone are wound with copper wire, the indicator will move slowiv 
up the scale because of an increase in resistance, due to the 
heating effect of the current. With copper this change of resist- 
ance is considerable, while with German silver it is small. — 11 

WAYS TO BRACE POLES FOR PRIVATE TELEPHONE LINES 

The extension of telephone lines to rural districts is one of the 
real blessings modern science and business enterprise have be- 
stowed upon the farmers. Most of these spurs and cross-country 
lines are made at the expense of the telephone companies ; but 
sometimes, when the number of subscribers does not warrant it, 
the prospective customers must furnish or erect their own poles. 
Even if these are done by the companies, many boys may desire 
to unite their neighbors' houses with theirs by private telephone 
or telegraph lines. Telegraphy is a fascinating study to boys. 
To those who contemplate the erection of a private telephone or 
telegraph line it may be informing for them to examine these 
designs of two ways of bracing poles. In fact, the plans are 
worthy of any farmer's attention who uses poles for any purpose 
whatsoever about the farm. 

It is to be remarked, first of all, that poles get out of plumb 
and alinement because of wind pressure and wire strain. Elim- 
inate these two stresses upon any pole, and unless it be located 
at the edge of quicksand, or abuts a living spring of water, it 
will very likely remain erect until it decays. Fig. 1 shows a 
form of bracing that is excellent to aid a pole to withstand the 
rocking effect of the wind. Most winds are unsteady in effort, 
and this accounts for so many poles leaning, for the pressure 
of the wind comes and goes suddenly, each gust being followed 
by periods of lull, so that a pole rocks, swinging out with the 
gust, and back with the following lull. The design is self-explan- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



2 93 



atory, and is intended for a full-sized pole, set seven feet in the 
ground. But poles to carry two to four wires need not be so 
large, either in diameter or in height, nor be set so deeply in 
the ground. The perpendicular braces, coupled at the top by 
horizontal timbers, are efficient to withstand the rocking effect 
of the pole. The oblique braces are also valuable assistants. 
Strange as it may appear, when oblique braces are used alone, 
they tend to lift a pole out of the earth as it rocks back and forth. 
The horizontal braces do not have this tendency. Perhaps chil- 




i^W^Tf 



Fig. 2: 



-How to brace a telephone pole 



dren have observed that their swing poles, when braced by 
oblique braces only, have gradually become loosened and lifted 
by swinging. This system of bracing poles, therefore, is to be 
recommended for children's swings. The design shows the parts 
well proportioned, and they may be proportionally reduced in 
dimensions in working them out. 

As indicated at 2 cement may be substituted for wooden braces 
at a bend of the line where the wind and wire strains are not too 
severe. The hole in the ground is dug obliquely, the pole is set 
upright, and the triangular spaces on both sides are filled with 
cement. Odd-shaped poles, should it be necessary, may be used 



294 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



anywhere when properly braced. One good way of bracing such 
a pole is portrayed in Fig. 3. A toe of cement may be extended 
into the ground to give the cement a "grip." If it is required 
to have a still stronger support, a wooden brace may be affixed as 
shown, its bottom resting on a large flat stone, with or without 
a cement binding. 

By either of these methods, a private line of telephone or tele- 
graph wires can be maintained against the blasts of Boreas him- 
self, whether the old mythological god blows hot or cold, hard 
or easy. — 7 

A SIMPLE WIRELESS TELEGRAPH DETECTOR 

One of the requisites of a good wireless telegraph detector of 
the crystal type, is that it be so constructed as to permit easy 




Fig. 233 — Details of the construction of the wireless telegraph detector 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



295 



removal and substitution of different metals for the electrodes, as 
different metals sometimes produce different results. 

The necessary parts of a simple yet very efficient wireless de- 
tector are as follows : A base, of the dimensions shown in Fig. 
233; 3 inches of Y 2 -inch round brass rod; 4 inches of 3/16-inch 
round brass rod; some brass tubing, 3/16 inch inside diameter; 
two thumb nuts of brass or hard rubber, and two binding posts. 

The 3/16-inch rod is cut into two equal parts, and both pieces 
threaded to within y% inch of one end. The other rod is also 
cut into two equal parts, 
making a pair of standards. 
At yi inch from the top of 
each of the standards a 
hole is drilled and tapered 
to receive the smaller rods. 
The other end of each 
standard must also be 
drilled and tapped to re- 
ceive a machine screw, by 
which it is fastened to the 
base. The positions of the 
standards on the base are 
indicated on the drawing. 
The smaller or pressure 
rods are screwed in the 
holes on the standards, 
with the untapped ends 
facing each other, and the 
thumb nuts, having previ- 
ously been tapped to fit the 
rods, are screwed on them. 

The binding posts must now be mounted on the base, and 
connected to the standards by wires run underneath the base. 

To make the removable electrodes, the brass tubing is cut in 
£6 -inch lengths. One-inch disks of 1/ 16-inch brass, copper, and 
other metals are cut out, and at the exact center of each is sol- 




Fig. 234 — Electrical connections of 
the wireless telegraph detector 



296 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



dered one of the brass tubes, with its length perpendicular to the 
disk. When it is desired to use them, the tubes are slipped over 
the ends of the rods, a crystal placed between them, and the rods 
screwed up so as to hold the crystal in place. Carborur ium and 




Fig. 235 — A simple wireless telegraph detector 

silicon are the most common crystals, although there are many 
others that produce excellent results. — 38 

AN ELECTROLYTIC DETECTOR 

Those who have attempted to make a wireless detector have 
doubtless been slightly dismayed when it came to deciding on a 
certain type. Of course, there are many amateurs who like to 
make several types, but it is for those who desire to make but 
one detector, that this short description is written. 

Of all the modern wireless detectors — the electrolytic, the 
carborundum, magnetic, silicon, audion — the electrolytic is given 
first place. It is very easily made, and when made well requires 
very little adjustment or attention. The silicon and carborundum 
detectors being of the crystal type are fairly sensitive when cor- 
rectly adjusted, but it is very hard to strike the maximum sensi- 
tive point. The audion is beyond the reach of most amateurs, 
because it employs platinum grids sealed in an electric-light bulb 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



297 



from which the air has been exhausted. The magnetic responder 
is a mechanical device, and is not very sensitive. 

The sensitiveness of the electrolytic depends entirely upon the 
size of the platinum wire used 
for the "point," and the good 
workmanship and accuracy 
displayed in making the de- 
tector. A photograph and 
drawing of this type is shown 
herewith, the cross-section 
lines being omitted in some 
places, in order to bring out 
the design- better and clearer. 

The part A, Fig. 236, which 
will be called the standard, is 
made from a piece of brass 
Y\ inch square and V/2. inches 
long. A hole is drilled in each 
end and tapped for an 8/32- 
inch thread. A ^-inch brass 
rod 1^4 inches long is threaded 
its whole length, and screwed 
in one end. The part B is 
made from square brass tub- 
ing, 34 inch inside and about 
1/16-inch walls. There should 
be no side motion, turning to 
the left or right. It is impor- 
tant that this piece should fit 
snugly over part A. A square 
piece of sheet brass is to be 

soldered on one end, and a hole drilled exactly in the center. The 
arm C, which is soldered to piece B, is made ^ by ^ by 
i^-inch, one end being cut and drilled as shown. To hold the 
platinum 1 wire, or point, a point holder is made from ^-inch rod 
about 1^8 inches long. One end is threaded with an 8/32- 




Fig. 236 — Plan, side and sectional 
views of the detector 



298 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



inch die, and the other end is tapped to hold a 4/32-inch machine 
screw, A 1 ]/\ -inch piece of ^-inch round brass is tapped at one 
end for an 8/32-inch screw. The other end must be turned to a 
diameter that can be threaded with an 8/32-inch die. A small 



Ml? W 



-)«V 



Alv*rT>»r*s»«*r* 



/* 



anil 



M 



fz fAP 



^ 



131 



novtto 



XJ 



—I 



* T " i i^-Vr-H 
I 




TA#» 



Fig. 237— Details of the detector 

nut, which may be conveniently obtained from a dry cell, is fitted 
on the threaded portion. 

The small cup D, which is to be made of aluminium, is formed 
by hammering a cup-shaped depression in a piece of thin sheet 
aluminium. It need not be larger than Y+ inch or }i inch wide 
and I inch long. A slot is cut in the end opposite the cup, and 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



299 



is made wide enough to 
permit its being fastened 
under the nut on the small 
standards. The thumb nuts, 
E E ' , are made from hard 
rubber, and may be turned 
to any desired shape. The 
larger one will have to be 
threaded to go on the rod 
of the standard, A. A 
small spring, shown at F, 
can. be made from a brass 



00 



Director 



Fig. 238 — Diagram of the electric 
connections 



wire. 

If a glass cup, to hold 
the acid, is preferred, it may be made by sealing a platinum wire 
in a small piece of glass tubing. The platinum wire may be 
soldered to a strip of brass, which in turn may be fastened under 
the nut on the standard. As regards the size of platinum wire 

to be used, o.ooci inch is a 
very good size, and will 
work very delicately indeed. 
Of course, there are both 
finer and coarser wires that 
will work also, but the size 
mentioned gives excellent 
results "and is moderate in 
price. 

The assembling of the 
detector is made clear in 
Fig. 236. The position of 
binding posts, kind of base, 
and other details may be 
altered to suit the taste of 
the maker. The connec- 
tions are shown in the small 
Fig. 23Q— General view of the electro- .. -r-v. A * . 

■ lytic detector diagram, Fig. 238, A being 




300 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

the potentiometer or variable resistance, B the phones, C the bat- 
tery; the tuning coil not being shown. — 38 

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MAGNETIC DETECTOR 

A practical magnetic detector may be made quite simply as 
follows : 

A suitable baseboard for the instrument is first selected from 
straight-grained pine, 18 inches long, 6 inches wide, and y$ inch 
thick. 

Procure the works from an ordinary clock, preferably of the 
eight-day variety, although those from an ordinary alarm clock 
will be chosen here for the sake of simplicity. Remove the bal- 
ance wheel and all unnecessary gears, screws, etc. To one end of 
the spindle of the last cogwheel solder a narrow strip of tin 
1 inch long and }i inch in width, to serve as a dog to hold a 
wind-brake, this to cause the wheels to revolve slowly and quietly. 
The tin strip should have a small hole punched through the center 
and placed over the end of the spindle, which projects a trifle 
from the under frame. A small drop of solder will secure it, 
after which any form of small cloth or paper vane may be 
attached by a w T ire loop or frame. Owing to the difference in 
construction of various clockworks, it is difficult to specify any 
shape or position of the brake, but the one shown in Fig. 240 
gives the general idea. Cloth over a frame is preferable to paper 
or cardboard, as it moves silently. Allowance should be made 
for the movement of the vane, either by cutting away the wood 
around it, or projecting the vane through a hole in the base, and 
supporting the whole instrument on a superficial base by means 
of cleats. The spindle to which the hands are attached serves for 
the driving shaft, and should be soldered to the cogwheel through 
which it passes, as ordinarily it is held by the friction of a spring 
pressing against it. 

Two wooden disks, preferably birch, are now cut out 4 inches 
in diameter and ^ inch thick. Upon the periphery of each disk 
is cut a groove of the shape shown in Fig. 241. 

From a piece of heavy sheet brass cut a square 2 by 2 inches 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



301 



and drill a 34 -inch hole in each corner and one in the center to 
fit the driving spindle on the clockwork. Place in position on 
the spindle and fasten with solder, being careful to keep it true. 
Hollow out the center of one of the wooden disks sufficiently to 
contain the lump of solder so formed, and fasten it to the brass 
square by means of small steel screws passed through the hole 
in each corner. A small magnetic screw driver will be found 



i 



m 



HI 4 1 \-'"%%M 



> r> ) 1 fw t 



'Wfn 



L* * t ■* r r , , , / r '/ f'. 



■' ' ' " ■' ' ' ' - " ' '■' 



I 



Fig. 240 — The wind brake on the clock 





Fig. 241 — Details of the pulleys 

very useful for passing the screws into place through the open 
work of the clock frame. 

The clockwork is now mounted on one end of the board, the 
center of the disk being 3 inches from the edge. Stove bolts 
passed through open parts in the frame from the bottom of the 
baseboard and fitted with nuts and washers will be found the 
best method of doing this. A hole should be bored in the base- 
board immediately beneath the winding stem, to allow for the 



302 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



insertion of the key. Next cut a block of soft wood 5 inches 
square and of a thickness of 1/16 inch less than the distance 
between the top of the baseboard and the under side of the 
mounted disk. The remaining disk is now fitted with a brass 
bushing and a i-inch round-head brass screw selected to fit the 
hole in the bushing nicely, and passed through it into the block 
of wood just mentioned, placing a washer beneath the disk and 
one under the screw head (Fig. 241). Fasten the block to the 
baseboard in a position so that the distance between centers of 
the disk shall be 12 inches. 

This finishes the framework, and the coils should now be 
wound and adjusted. Obtain a piece of annealed glass tubing, 





Fig. 242 — The primary and secondary coils 



as thin as possible, 2 inches long and Y\ inch external diameter. 
Hold the ends in a B'unsen flame just long enough to smooth the 
rough portions, flaring one end slightly with a small stick of 
wood. This prevents chafing of the iron rope. 

In winding the primary coil over this tube it is a good plan to 
tie the ends tightly with thread, to prevent slipping. The wire 
used should be No. 36 silk-covered, and should measure 10 feet 
in length. It is wound in a single layer as closely and evenly 
as possible, leaving 6 inches of the wire at each end for con- 
necting. The coil when wound should occupy a space of 1V2 
inches in the center of the tube. Give the whole a good coat of 
shellac and allow to dry. 

Over the coil and tube so formed are slipped two small disks 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



303 



of y± -inch soft wood 1^2 inches in diameter (Fig. 242). The hole 
in the center of the disks should be just large enough to fit over 
the coil tightly, and shellac used to hold them in place. They 
should occupy a position in the center of the tube, being set 
Y% inch apart. When they have become firmly fastened in place 
the space between them is wound full of No. 36 silk-covered wire, 
leaving free ends about a foot long for connecting. 

Tube and coils are now placed in position on the baseboard 
so that the interior of the tube is in line with the grooves on 
the periphery of the disks, and the coils midway between them 
(Fig. 243). Support the tube on a pair of blocks, as shown, 
using a liberal amount of shellac to hold it in place. 

Cut out another wooden block 4 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 




Fig. 243 — The detector assembled on the base board 



of about the same height as those supporting the tube. Fix this 
block lengthwise in the center of the baseboard. Procure a small 
permanent magnet of the horseshoe variety, and mount it on the 
block in such a position that its north pole will be pointing directly 
in front of and nearly touching the outside turns of the sec- 
ondary coil (Fig. 243), while its south pole will be opposite one 
end of the tube. If the disk on the clockwork revolves from 
right to left (as it ought), the south pole should be to the left 
of the center of the tube and coils ; if in the opposite direction, to 
the right. It is immaterial which pole is in front of the secondary 
coil, as long as the remaining pole is in the proper relation to the 
direction of the moving band, about to be described. The com- 
mercial instrument is fitted with two magnets, like poles adjoin- 



304 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



slight as to be 



ing, and facing the center of the secondary coil, but the differ 
ence in effectiveness of this arrangement is so 
mmoticeable. 




Fig. 244— Winding the wire band 

We now come to the last, and if not properly made, the most 
difficult and exasperating part of the detector, the moving band 
or rope of iron wire. To the uninitiated this has always been a 
source of great difficulty and annoyance, and though simplicity 
itself when made in the following manner, attempts at other 
methods are almost sure to result in a bungling tangled mass of 
stray loops and ends. 

The wire of which the band is made is No. 36 silk-covered, iron 
wire. Select a soft pine board % inch thick about 3 feet long 
and 4 inches or 5 inches wide. Drive two nails to a depth of ^2 




Fig. 245— Removing the wire strands from the board 

inch in the board at a distance apart equaling twice the circum- 
ference of the oval formed by the two wooden disks, when meas- 
ured by a string passed around the grooves. Starting at one nail 
(Fig. 244) wind the wire from one to the other, always winding 
in one direction ; that is, so as to inclose the two nails in a narrow 
coil of wire. When the total number of strands equals 100 the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



305 



ends are connected, and one nail is cautiously withdrawn from 
the board, keeping the wire still on it, and drawn taut ( Fig. 245 ) . 
Twist the strands into a rope, keeping them taut, and remove 
the remaining nail from the board. Both nails are now removed 



Fig. 246 — Method of connecting the ends 

from the ends of the band, being careful not to disturb the loops 
formed by them. Thread the band through the glass tube, pass- 
ing it around both pulleys and bringing the ends together between 
them. The two ends are linked together by threading a separate 
piece of the iron wire through and through them (Fig. 246), 
drawing tight after each threading, and connecting the ends of 
the wire by tying or twisting, as in the case of the band. 

This completes the working parts of the detector, and any 
casing may be fitted to it and finished according to the ideas of 
the operator. 

A good casing is made by fitting the sides and ends with 
Y% -inch hardwood strips extending y 2 inch above the surface of 
the disks. This forms a box with a top open, and a nice-looking 




Fig. 247— General view of the magnetic detector 



instrument is made by attaching a glass door by hinges to cover 

it and protect the working parts from dust and injury (Fig. 247). 

The ends of the primary coil are brought to binding posts in 

the side of the box nearest them, and those of the secondary 



306 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

connected to another pair of binding posts, one on each side of 
the first two. If desired, a false bottom of pressboard can be 
fitted beneath the disks, leaving only the coils and tube, magnet, 
band, and disks visible. 

It will be noticed in the case herein cited that the winding 
stem is situated in the base of the instrument — a great incon- 
venience that can be remedied only by gears or ratchets ; but this 
is hardly worth while, in view of the great advantage to be 
gained by using an eight-day clock, which, in addition to its 
ability for long running, usually has the winding stem on its 
face. The proper speed of the driving disk is that which will 
cause the moving band to complete the circuit through the tube 
in about two minutes. 

Aerial and ground are connected to the terminals of the pri- 
mary coil, and the telephone to those of the secondary. An 
almost inaudible hissing sound, in the telephone, as the band 
slowly threads its way through the tube and around the pulleys, 
shows the detector to be in working order. — 31 

EXPERIMENTS WITH ALTERNATING CURRENT, USING A SMALL 
DIRECT-CURRENT MOTOR 

A small direct-current motor, such as can be purchased for 
about a dollar, will operate in various ways as an alternating- 
current motor. These methods of operation are not recommended 
for regular use, but they serve as excellent experiments with 
alternating currents. 

A series-wound motor with a three-part commutator is suit- 
able. Owing to the variety of such motors on the market, only 
general directions can be given here, leaving the details to the 
judgment of the experimenter. If the motor is to be connected 
to an alternating-current circuit of about no volts, it is neces- 
sary to have some means of limiting the current passing through 
the windings. The diagrams show a lamp rheostat used for this 
purpose. The rated voltage of the lamps should not be less than 
the voltage of the circuit, for the resistance of the motor may be 
so low that the lamps will receive almost the full voltage of the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 307 

supply, and they would then be burned out if made for a lower 
voltage. A rheostat enabling any number not exceeding ten of 
16-candle-power carbon filament lamps to be connected in parallel 
is large enough. In determining whether the wiring and fuses 
through which the current is supplied have sufficient carrying 
capacity, remember that each lamp takes about y* ampere when 
supplied with its rated voltage. The current per lamp will be 
less than this when the motor is in series with the lamp rheostat. 
Make the connections to the motor with all of the lamps turned 
ofr, and start by turning on the lamps until the motor receives 
sufficient current. Do not turn on so many lamps that the 
motor attains an excessive speed or temperature. 

Of course, a suitable step-down transformer or a reactance 
coil may be used instead of a rheostat. 

When the motor is in proper condition to operate as a direct- 
current series motor, it may be operated as an alternating-current 
series motor. With the exception of inserting the rheostat, the 
motor is connected to the alternating-current circuit in the same 
way that it is connected to a battery when run as a direct-current 
I motor. (See Fig. 248.) To reverse the direction of rotation, 
\ transpose the wires connected to the brush holders, as would be 
done to reverse it when operating with direct current. 

A repulsion motor consists of a stationary field magnet, through 
the winding of which alternating current is passed. The arma- 
ture is similar to a direct-current armature. Instead of the two 
brushes, or, in larger machines, the two sets of brushes (corre- 
sponding to the positive and negative sets of brushes in a direct- 
current machine) being insulated from one another, they are 
connected together. To run the motor as a repulsion motor, it 
t will be necessary to shift the brushes until the proper position 
for operation is found. If the brushes supplied with the machine 
can be readily shifted, then they may be connected together by 
attaching a wire to the two brush holders. If they cannot be 
readily shifted, remove them and bend a piece of copper wire 
into the shape shown in the diagram (Fig. 249) so that it can 
embrace the commutator and touch it at diametrically opposite 



308 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



points. This wire acts as two brushes connected to one another, 
and for experimental purposes may be held in place by hand. 
After the brushes have been arranged, pass current through the 



%^L 



Commutaic 




Field Winding. 



L a-tnp Rheostat. 



Fig 24S 




Comniutatof. 



Field W'"ndin g . 



5SS5> 0000 



Lamp Rheostat 



Fig. 249 




Com mutator 



Field Winding. 



Lamp Rheostat. 




Cornmutitor 




Field Winding. 



00^0 



Lamp Rneo-stat. 



Fig. 250 Fig. 251 

Figs. 248 to 251 — Various methods of connecting the motor 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 309 

field winding, as shown in Fig. 249, and vary the position of the 
brushes until the motor runs.' 

The inverted repulsion motor differs from the repulsion motor 
in that the alternating current is supplied to the armature, and 
the field winding is short-circuited. To obtain this motor (Fig. 
250) connect together the two ends of the field winding and 
supply current to the armature. As was the case with the repul- 
sion motor, it is here necessary to shift the brushes until the 
proper position for operation is found. If the brushes supplied 
with the motor can be readily shifted, supply current to the 
armature through them. Otherwise, the current may be supplied 
to the armature by removing the regular brushes and pressing 
the wires carrying the current against the commutator at two 
diametrically opposite points, shifting them until the proper posi- 
tion for operation is found. The repulsion and inverted repulsion 
motors are reversed by shifting the brushes. 

In the single-phase induction motor current is supplied to the 
stationary winding, and the revolving part consists of a winding 
having short-circuited coils, or else a squirrel-cage winding. 

To obtain the induction motor, wrap a few turns of wire 
around the commutator, so that each coil of the armature is 
short-circuited. Run without brushes, supply current to the field 
winding only, according to Fig. 251. Unlike the other motors 
here described, the single-phase induction motor is not self- 
starting unless special devices are provided to make it so. When 
these devices are absent, as in the case here, the motor will run 
equally well in either direction when once started. Start by giv- 
ing the shaft a twist with, the fingers or by wrapping a piece of 
string around the shaft and rapidly pulling it off. 

For the theory of these motors, and also the modifications in 
construction used to secure better operation, text books on alter- 
nating currents should be consulted. — 54 

AN ELECTRICAL PARADOX 

With comparatively little apparatus, it is possible, apparently, 
to set Ohm's law at naught by lighting an ordinary electric light 
having a considerable resistance, to full incandescence while on 



3io 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



a heavy short circuit. All that is required is a medium-size 
induction coil, giving, say, a four-inch spark, provided with a 
pair of spark balls, a source of current for it, a glass condenser 
or Leyden jar of suitable capacity, a miniature incandescent lamp 
having a resistance of from 5 to 10 ohms, and about a meter 
(39.37 inches) of heavy bare brass wire. 

The brass wire is to be bent into a long U about eight centi- 
meters (3.15 inches) wide, and the ends inserted into an insulat- 
ing base. The lamp is then to be arranged so that it can be slid 
to any position between the parallel sides of the U. 

If the several parts of the apparatus are now connected as 




Fig. 252 — Apparatus for performing the electrical paradox 



shown in the diagram, and the knife switch is thrown, the usual 
heavy discharge across the spark gap, due to the energy momen- 
tarily stored in the condenser, will take place, and at the same 
time, the lamp will be found to light up quite as well as if con- 
nected to the battery alone. Upon sliding the lamp, the light 
will be found to become dimmer, while it will grow brighter as 
the bottom is approached. Indeed, if the lamp is small, it will 
be well to place it close to the top at first, and then slide it down 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



311 



/T\ 



until full candle-power is reached, otherwise it might be burned 
out from excessive current. The experiment is particularly strik- 
ing if the operating apparatus is concealed, and a fairly heavy 
piece of bare copper wire substituted for the "short circuit." A 
small gage of wire should then be used for leads for the lamp, 
for, curiously enough, a fine piece of wire connected across the 
terminals of the lamp will extinguish it altogether. That is, a 
small wire conducts this peculiar current with more facility than 
one of larger diameter. 

The brass wire may be touched without fear of a shock, for 
while the current which it conducts is of a very high voltage and 
appreciable amperage, its extremely high fre- 
quency renders contact harmless. 

Although the fundamental law of electrical 
engineering has seemingly been defied, really 
it has only been modified by a factor which 
does not enter into the computation of ordin- 
ary electric currents. From the behavior of 
the light at different points on the wire, it can 
be seen that the current shunted through the 
filament of the lamp is still proportional to a 
resistance, though obviously of a very dif- 
ferent nature. If the effect of various sizes 
of wire on the current passing through the 
lamp is studied experimentally it will be found 
that in general the current is not proportional 
to the square of the wire, but is more nearly 
proportional to the diameter. That is to say, 
this resistance is a matter of perimeter and not 
of cross-sectional area, and since the current 
flows over the wire and not through it, hol- 
low wires would conduct as well as solid ones. 

The phenomenon is essentially one of impedance, and due to 
the large inductance which the brass wire offers to alternating 
currents of this character which have a very small time rate of 
change. — 48 




fjl|l|l|i 

BATTERIES SWITCH 

Fig. 253— Diagram 
of connections 



312 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

CONSTRUCTION OF A SELENIUM CELL 

The materials required for the construction of a selenium cell 
are as follows: Twelve feet of spring brass ]/2 inch wide, 1/16 
inch thick, two small machine screws, two 3-inch bolts and nuts, 
a piece of thin mica 6 by 12 inches, ]/\ ounce of selenium, a small 
piece of thin board, some wood screws, and a piece of glass 
about 3 by 3 inches. 

From the brass cut 40 pieces 3 inches long, and drill a hole to 
take the bolts % inch from one end. Also make up 39 washers 
by cutting pieces y 2 inch long and drilling holes in the center. 
From the mica cut 39 pieces 2^ inches long by % inch wide. 
Take half the brass strips, place a washer between each, pass a 
bolt through the holes in the ends, and screw up the nut. Do the 
same with the rest of the strips, and you have two sections of 
the cell. Now slide one section into the other, tighten up the nuts, 
and place in a vise. File down and polish the edges of the strips 
so as to form a perfectly smooth surface on one side. 

Next separate the two sections again, place a piece of the mica 
between each strip, so as to insulate one section from the other, 
then assemble as before, being careful to get the top surface per- 
fectly level and smooth. 

Take another piece of the brass, 4^ inches long ; ]/ 2 inch from 
each end drill and tap a hole to take the machine screws, and 
bend up 34 inch of each end. Use this piece to clamp the two 
sections together in the center, being careful to insulate it from 
them. After making sure that the sections are properly insulated 
from each other, the selenium may be applied as follows : Hold 
the brass over a flame until the selenium melts freely, then rub 
the stick of selenium over the polished surface. If the brass is 
hot enough the selenium will adhere readily, but if too hot it 
will burn off. After applying the selenium, and while it is still 
soft, pass a knife blade lightly over the surface. This removes 
the surplus selenium, and leaves a thin smooth coating. 

Now bake the cell in an oven for one hour, having the tem- 
perature just below the melting point of the selenium. Then 
take out and allow to cool in the open air. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 313 

Make a box with a glass cover, and wedge the cell in this with 
small pieces of wood. Fasten two binding posts in one end, and 
connect each binding post to one of the sections. The cell is now 
complete. 

The advantages of this type of cell are that it is easy to get the 
top surface of the brass strips perfectly smooth, and, as the insu- 
lation is of mica, there is no danger of burning it and thus spoil- 
ing the cell. It is not necessary to tin the edges of the brass 
strips, and it is better not to do so, as the solder used in tinning 
is apt to melt and run between the strips, short-circuiting the cell. 

-69 



CHAPTER VIL 
THE HANDY MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE 



A NOVEL MUSIC STAND OR BOOK REST 

To make a music stand or book rest, such as shown in Fig. 
254, out of one and the same piece of wood, without joining or 
the use of pins, seems almost impossible. Nevertheless, a novice, 

so far as the use of wood- 
working tools is concerned, 
will be able to make one by 
following the instructions here 
laid down. 

The size of the stand will 
depend upon the use to which 
it is intended to be put. If 
for a music stand or a large 
book rest, eighteen inches 
wide by three feet long will 
be a nice size. If intended for 
the table, for smaller size 
books, the length would bet- 
ter be only eighteen inches, 
the same as the width. 

The board should be one 
and one-eighth inches thick, 
free from knots, cracks, and 
other defects. Either walnut, 
oak, or mahogany will do. 
It would be well for a novice, in fact it would save time in 
any case, to have the saw cuts shown in Fig. 255 done at a mill 
or carpenter's shop. As seen by the dotted lines and in the end 
elevation, these cuts do not extend the full length of the board, 
but to within two inches of each other, at the center of the timber. 




"Fig 254— A music stand made, without 
joining, of two intermeshing pieces 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



3 X 5 



The board being cut, the /next step is to mark five equally- 
spaced divisions, as shown in Fig. 257. The four short vertical 
lines are to be cut straight through the board, but the horizontal 
lines, joining them at the top and bottom, must only be cut half 
way through, or to the saw cut. The parts shown shaded are 
cut with a flat chisel, at an angle of forty-five degrees from the 
center, down to the vertical cut of the horizontal lines, as clearly 
shown in the side elevation. The board is now turned over and 





Fig. 



255 —The board is cut to within 
2 inches of the center 



Fig. 256 — A puzzling bit of 
woodwork 



the same cutting done, but alternately, as clearly shown in Fig. 

254. 

The lower part of the stand may be ornamented as may be de- 
sired, but the upper half should be kept perfectly plain. The 
whole must be sandpapered down, first with rough and then with 
fine paper, and afterward varnished or stained. 

To hold the stand in i. certain position, according to the use to 
which it is being put, an ornamental brass chain is connected 
across the bottom by means of a screw eye at one end and a hook 



3i6 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



at the other. The stand can be folded and leaned against the 
wall when not doing service. 

A small model of the stand makes a very interesting puzzle. 
If made as shown in Fig. 256, the two pieces of wood can be 
separated and twisted around at right angles to each other. The 





Fig. 257 — How the joint is cut 



device can then be given to a friend with a request that he get 
the two pieces apart, without breaking them. If the wood is 
sandpapered, and robbed of all traces of saw cuts, etc., the "puz- 
zle" will deceive the most wary. — 3 

A TABOURET MADE FROM AN ONION CRATE 

The accompanying illustrations show how a simple crate, used 
in shipping potatoes or onions, can be readily converted into a 
tabouret or flower stand. 

A crate such as shown in Fig. 258 can be secured from any 
grocer or from a vegetable dealer. The sides and ends of the 
crate, which are comprised of slats arranged as shown, are 
fastened at their corners by a long nail, passing through holes in 
the ends of the slats. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



317 



To construct a tabouret, the nails in each corner are withdrawn 
and the slats, being separated, are then taken and slipped on the 




Fig. 258— Common onion crate and the rearrangement of the slats 




Fig. 259 — Artistic possibilities in an onion crate 



3l8 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

nails, and arranged as shown, Fig. 259, the long slats forming 
a cross and the short slats arranged horizontally. After the slats 
have been assembled, the point of the nail can be riveted, holding 
the slats together, and producing an article of rigid construction, 
as shown in the photograph. 

The same can be stained or painted at a small cost. While 
the slats are fairly well planed, the appearance of the article can 
be improved by planing the slats a trifle more before assembling 
them. — 29 

HOME-MADE METAL LAMP SHADE 

The accompanying sketches show a simple and yet effective 
way to make a metal lamp shade. When the desired size, shape, 
and general style of the shade is selected, a diagram is made, 
from which the blanks or sections are made. The blanks are cut 
out from some thin metal, such as copper, brass, or black iron, 
with a small strip on one side, as indicated in dotted lines in 
Fig. 260. This flap is to be turned in and soldered to the adjoin- 
ing blank. 

Now trace the desired design on the blank, which may be a 
conventional flower or anything that appeals to the fancy of the 
maker. Put a blank on the end of a hardwood block, such as 
maple, and with a small punch, any shape, punch out the outlines 
of the design as closely as possible. After this the blank is turned 
over and laid on a piece of soft iron, and with a small prick punch 
a number of indentations are made in it between the outlines of 
the design. 

After the blanks have thus been prepared, solder strips of 
metal on the inside, for the purpose of holding the glass, also to 
make the blanks stiff (Fig. 260). Now solder the blanks to- 
gether. Small bows of lead ribbon may be made and fastened 
at the corners, giving the impression that the several blanks are 
tied together. The shade is, now ready to be painted. Use any 
kind of paint that will dry flat, such as ivory black. When dry, 
place between the glass and the frame a color screen of colored 
gelatin or celluloid. Different colors may be pasted on the glass, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



319 



side by side, so as to bring out the different colors the design is 
supposed to represent. For instance, if the design should be a 
bunch of cherries on a twig, red may be used for the cherries, 
brown for the stem, and green for the leaves. 




Fig. 260— Applying the glass to the sides of the lamp 




Fig. 261 — A home-made metal lamp shade 



When the glass is finally put in place, the pieces of metal sol- 
dered on the inside of the shade are now turned over, so as to 
hold the glass in place. Care should be taken that the glass does 
not fit too tightly. Always give it more or less room to allow 
for thermal expansion. A string of beads may be fastened to the 
bottom or lower edge of the shade. 



320 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

The shade may be made of paper in which case two blanks are 
used. These are fastened and perforated at the same time with 
a large needle over a small cushion of sand or emery. The color 
screen is then inserted between the blanks and the latter are 
bound together with ribbons. Another pretty effect may be ob- 
tained by using two blanks of white Bristol board, without any 
perforation, and instead of the color screen, place between the 
sheets some pressed flowers, leaves, grasses, or the like. — 5 
ANOTHER METHOD OF MAKING METAL LAMP SHADES 

Lamp shades, electric-light shades, shades for drop lights, and 
shades for candelabra can readily be made as follows : The ma- 
terial should be sheet brass, in thickness ranging from 1/40 of an 
inch to 1/64 of an inch according to the size and character of 




Fig. 262— A lamp-shade of brass cut with acid 

the work. If the shade is to be quite large and to. contain glass 
or other heavy materials, it is necessary to use the heavier brass 
or that of 1/40 inch in thickness. In light work, like that of the 
candelabrum shades, the 1 /64-inch brass is more desirable. 

To make the candelabrum shade it is necessary first to draw 
the pattern on paper. Then, placing the paper upon the brass, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



321 



an outline of the pattern should be made with a very soft pencil. 
With a heavy pair of scissors this pattern can be cut out of the 
brass, but it is impossible to cut any design in the brass pattern 
with the scissors without wrinkling the metal. The neatest way 
is to burn out the design with nitric acid. First, the design should 
be drawn upon the brass pattern with a soft pencil. Then the 
pattern should be heated over a stove. While the shade is still 
hot a piece of wax or ordinary candle is rubbed over both sides 
of the brass. The heat of the brass melts the wax and forms a 
thin wax coating. When the brass becomes cold, the design, 
which shows through the wax, is traced with a pointed instru- 
ment. The parts of the brass which are to be burned out are 
scraped free of wax. The shade is then immersed in nitric acid. 
The acid eats through the ex- 
posed brass and the required 
design is very cleanly cut out. 
The lamp, electric, and 
drop-light shades are made 
in the same way. Without 
much expense or trouble these 
larger pieces can be improved 
by placing different colored 
glass behind the designs. — 96 

DECORATIONS FROM PAPER 
PULP 

Visitors to Washington 
usually bring away with them 
a pretty little souvenir knick- 
.nack made from the pulp of 
destroyed greenbacks. It is 
not generally known that such 
pulp can be made just as well 
from any kind of waste paper 
as from the government notes. 
Accompanying this is a series 
of photographs showing the 




Fig. 263— Grinding the paper pulp 



322 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



3*3 



result of some experiments with pulp produced by tearing 1 
waste newspapers into small pieces, leaving them to soak for 
a night and a day and then making them into pulp by the 
simple process of putting the soaked paper through an ordinary 
meat chopper such as is in use in every household. 

With this pulp it is possi- 
ble to decorate boxes so as to 
transform them into attrac- 
tive glove cases, suitable for 
Christmas presents, to fashion 
grotesque figures for the cor- 
ners of dens, to change com- 
mon jelly jars into chimney 
ornaments and to mold dainty 
figures for use in decorating 
walls or corners of rooms. 

There is no mystery about 
the process. The simple story 
of the material used in mak- 
ing the figures shown in the 
photographs, which are so 
hard that they cannot be cut 
with a knife, is this : The 
members of the family were 
set to work tearing the news- 
papers into small pieces. 
These were left to soak in a 
wash tub for a night. They 
might have been ready then, 
but as the writer of this was 
not ready to use them they were soaked until the evening. 

Then they were ground up and pulverized by being put through 
the meat chopper in the manner shown in Fig. 263. After this 
an attempt was made to use the pulp in molding. It was all 
-right for this purpose, but it lacked cohesiveness. The pulp 
dried and spread so as to make the work useless. The idea of 




Fig. 265- 



-Decorating a box with 
paper pulp 



3^4 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

mixing liquid glue with the pulp was then tried, with the greatest 
success. In this fashion it was not difficult to mold the pulp and it 

I dried firmly and as hard as cement. 
Variations of the idea can be found 
by any one with ingenuity. The fig- 
ures molded from the pulp can be 
painted, as was the figure of the little 
child with the candle, which was 
found to make a most attractive orna- 
_ I ment for a bedroom wall (Fig. 264). 

r , , . The molding itself of course is work 

Fig 266— A jar ornamented ,, . . ^ 

with paper pulp tllat requires some talent. But in 

these clays there is almost sure to be 

some member of the family who has a talent in this direction. 

HERO'S FOUNTAIN AS A TABLE ORNAMENT 

A pretty table ornament in the shape of a small automatic 
fountain can be constructed of materials within the reach of 
every Handy Man. 

While the height of the jet is small, unless the apparatus is 
constructed on a large scale, still it makes a very attractive orna- 
ment, running, as it does, continuously. 

The outside shell can be of any convenient diameter as this 
dimension has no effect on the result. It is divided into three 
horizontal compartments, A, B, and C, the two latter of which 
must be air-tight. The upper one, A, is open on top and on the 
depth of this depends the height of the jet. 

A pipe D connects the compartments A and C. The partition 
which separates B and C has an opening E in it. In the center 
of this partition a circular cup-shaped depression, F, is formed 
and there extends into this cup a small pipe, G, which passes 
through the upper partition of compartment B and projects slight- 
ly above the upper edge of the shell. All joints should be sol- 
dered tight. The principle of operation is as follows : The open- 
ing in the pipe G at the point H is stopped up and then the upper 
section A is filled with water. This descends through the pipe 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



325 



D and fills the compartment C ; then it flows through the port E 
and fills the cup F. 

The compartment B being an air pocket is under pressure 
equal to the head or weight of water from the top of the cup F 
to the level of the water in A and when the pipe G is opened this 
pressure forces the water in the cup up through the pipe, forming 
at jet at H, the water being replaced by the flow through the pipe 




Fig. 267 — A fountain for the table 



D into the compartment C and overflowing into the cup F. 

The pipe G should be about 1/16-inch copper pipe, smooth in- 
side, and the opening at H about 1/32 inch in diameter drilled 
smoothly, that is without burrs. 

The best method of obtaining this latter hole is to have a small 
cap threaded onto the pipe G and the hole drilled in it. In this 
way holes of different sizes and shapes can be tried. 

A pretty effect is secured by means of a silvered glass ball / 
attached to pipe G with a deflector, J, which gives a circular sheet 
of water. — 21 

CONVENIENT HANGER FOR THE CLOTHES CLOSET 

The accompanying illustration shows a hanger, for shirtwaists 
and other garments, located in the upper part of a clothes closet 



326 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



to utilize space that is usually wasted. The hanger is so placed 
that garments hung thereon will not interfere with clothing that 
is hung on the usual hooks. But it may be lowered wherever de- 
sired so as to provide access to the garments thereon. 
Two boards are fastened to the ceiling of the closet and are 

provided with pulleys 
one of which is a double 
pulley to receive its own 
cord and the cord run- 
ning over the other pul- 
ley as well. The cords 
are secured at one end 
by means of screw eyes 
to the top of a board 
hanger which is pro- 
vided on the under side 
with a row of hooks 
properly spaced to sup- 
port the shirtwaists or 
other garments, one 
alongside the other, 
without crumpling them. 
The cords are fastened 
together at the opposite 
end and are provided 
with two loops for en- 
gagement with a hook 
Fig.^S-Conv^ment^angerforthe fastene( j ^ ^ s ; de rf 

the door casing. One 
loop when caught on the hook holds the hanger in its highest 
position, as illustrated, while the other is used when the hanger 
is lowered for the purpose of hanging or removing a garment. 
The hanger may be raised or lowered at will by operating the 
cords. — 40 

AN IMPROVED CARPET STRETCHER 

One of the things that makes carpet laying difficult is the fact 




HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



3 2 7 



that in stretching the carpet one must drag his own weight along 
the floor. To overcome this difficulty the arrangement shown 
in Fig. 269 may be used This consists in bracing the carpet 
stretcher against the opposite wall of the room in such a way that 
the operator can stand to one side and by depressing the brace 
cause the carpet to be stretched with a powerful toggle leverage. 
The brace must of course be adjustable so that it can be used in 
rooms of different sizes. It consists of two strips of wood, iy 2 
inches thick, 4 inches wide, and 8 feet long. The strips are con- 
nected by means of a pair of ^6 -inch bolts which pass through 
holes spaced 4 inches apart along the length of the strips. In 




Fig. 269 — Bracing the carpet stretcher against the opposite wall 



order to prevent marring the baseboard at the opposite side of 
the room the end of the brace should be padded with cloth, as 
shown. In the case of a room that is too wide for this brace an 
extension board may be laid on the floor against the base board 
and the end of the brace abutted against this extension board. 
The manner of operating the carpet stretcher is clearly shown in 
Fig. 269. The carpet stretcher is so powerful that if not properly 
operated it will draw out the tacks from the opposite side of the 
room. 

RAG CARPET NEEDLE 

The strips of cloth for making rag carpet are usually formed 
into a long string or rope by stitching the ends together with cot- 



328 1 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



ton or thread, a process not only tedious, but taking no little 
time. To obviate this, a handy tool, or needle, can easily be made 
from a small piece of clock spring, the end of an old table knife, 
or any thin piece of steel. Make the needle about one inch and a 
half long, and either turn it up at right angles to form a foot, by 
heating it in the fire first, or drill a hole in one end for an ordi- 
nary wood screw. In the former case, a thumb-screw clamp can 
be used to hold the needle to the table. The other end of the 
needle is to be formed with a V-shaped point, fairly sharp. Just 
below the point a slot is made about one-eighth of an inch wide 
by half an inch long, or long enough to pass the ends of the 
pieces of cloth through. 





Fig. 270 — Rag Carpet Needle 

To sew the pieces together, which can be done very rapidly, 
after a little practice, press one end of a length of cloth down 
upon the needle until it passes the eye. Likewise, one end of 
another piece is pressed down upon the first. The other end of 
either piece is then threaded through the eye for a short distance, 
as shown in Fig. 270. The whole is then lifted up until the 
threaded end falls below the other two, when it is pulled all the 
way through. It will be found that these joinings are perfectly 
flat and satisfactory. 

Two styles of clamps are shown, one with a foot, to be held to 
the table by means of a thumb-screw clamp, and the other with a 
screw attachment, to be held on the edge of the table by means of 
an ordinary wood screw. — 3 

A CHEAPLY CONSTRUCTED FIRELESS COOKER 

A cheap and efficient fireless cooker was made by the writer as 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



3 2 9 



follows : A box measuring 34^ inches long, 12 inches wide, and 
16 inches deep inside measure was bought from the grocer. After 
lining it well with newspapers lapped at the corners and tacked in 
place, a bed of newspapers A was placed on the bottom to a depth 
of 4 inches. The false bottom B was then nailed above them, 
and a sheet of asbestos placed upon it. 

Three pieces of sheet zinc, 7 by 26 T / 2 inches, were made into 
cylinders and soldered at the joint. These cylinders were then 
soldered to a sheet of zinc, D, cut to fit the false bottom, B, the 
cylinders being spaced 10 inches be- 
tween centers. To facilitate the 
soldering of the cylinders E to the 
zinc plate D, small ears may be left 
in the cutting and bent outwardly. 

Three holes the diameter of the 
outside of the cylinders, 10 inches 
between centers, were made in a 
board F 34% inches long and 8^2 
inches wide, and nailed in place 
around the cylinders, the cylinders 
being nailed to the board F. A 
strip of asbestos was then wrapped 
around each cylinder and tied in place with string. 

The space around the cylinders was now well packed with 
sawdust, K, and the small strips of wood, /, were inserted and 
nailed to the box to complete the shelf F. Three half bricks, G, 
and three enameled-ware pails 5 by 6^2 inches covered by an old 
feather pillow, H, which in turn was pressed firmly over the pails 
by a hinged lid, L, held closed by a suitable fastening, completed 
the cooker. To improve the appearance of the box the outside, 
with the exception of the bottom, was padded with paper tacked 
in place and covered with cretonne. Handles placed at the ends 
were found useful as well as ornamental. The novelty and effi- 
ciency of this cooker lies in the use of the half-bricks, G, which 
being placed around the gas burner, or on the stove with the pail 
resting on them, while bringing the contents of the pail to the 




Fig. 271 — Cross-section through 
one of the zinc cylinders 



330 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




Fig. 272 — Section and plan views of the fireless cooker 

boiling point, absorb considerable heat (the hotter they get the 
better). They are then used as shown in the illustration. — 90 



AN ELECTRICAL FIRELESS COOKER. 

The so-called "hay-stove" or fireless cooker has now become so 
popular and its advantages so well known that it is hardly neces- 
sary to call attention to them. One serious drawback to its gen- 
eral use, however, is the fact that the food to be cooked must 
first be heated up to the boiling point on a stove of some kind be- 
fore it is placed in the cooker. This is not only inconvenient, 
but in warm weather it goes far to defeat one of the important 
objects of the fireless cooker, namely, the elimination of heat 
from the kitchen. 

Wherever there is a supply of electric current available it is ,< 
quite feasible to combine the electric heating and fireless cooker 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 33 1 

principles in such manner that the food may be placed in the 
cooker cold and the current be turned on for about fifteen minutes 
to heat it up, for which time the cost for electric power will be 
only about three cents. 

In its general construction such an electrical fireless cooker 
may be made as shown in the sectional view, where A is an ordi- 
nary stone crock with cover, imbedded in a suitable heat-insulat- 
ing packing, B, such as mineral wool, and covered with a mat- 
tress, C, of the same material, the whole being contained in the 
wood box, D, having a hinged cover, E. For an average-sized 
cooker an ordinary four-gallon stone crock, which measures io*4 
inches in diameter inside by about the same in height, will be 
found to be well adapted to the purpose. 

To make the electrical heating element suitable for use on a 
circuit of about no volts, procure 70 feet of bare No. 18 "30- 
per-cent nicker" German-silver wire. Such a piece of wire should 
have a resistance of about 12 ohms, so that when connected to 
the mains about 9 amperes will pass, and the heater will thus 
consume about 1,000 watts. As 70 feet of the wire will weigh 
only 1/3 of a pound; and cost but a few cents, it is advisable to 
buy a pound of it, so as to have a couple of extra pieces on hand 
to use when repairs become necessary. 

To form the heating coil, first anneal the wire by heating it 
to a dull red (but not white) heat in a suitable fire or gas flame, 
and after allowing it to cool form it into a helix by winding it 
closely on a metallic rod 5/16 inch in diameter and about 36 
inches long. (See Fig. 273, G.) It is best to do this winding in a 
lathe if possible, as hand work is not only tedious, but the coil is 
likely to be uneven. After winding slip the helix off the rod, 
take hold of one end in each hand and stretch it to a length of 
about five feet. This will separate the individual turns of wire 
so that they look something like Fig. 273, H. 

The support for the heating coil, Fig. 274, A, should be made 
of a piece of asbestos board or magnesia board y^ inch thick and 
of such a diameter as to fit easily in the bottom of the crock — 
in this case about 10^4 inches. If the asbestos or magnesia 



332 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



boards cannot be obtained, a good substitute may be found in 
slate, or in a disk of 1/16 inch thick sheet iron covered on top 
with several thickness of asbestos building paper. Then porce- 
lain insulators, each about 1 inch in diameter by 1 inch high and 
having a shallow groove near its upper end, should be fastened 
to the base with flat-head stove bolts in the positions shown. 
When stretched on these insulators zigzag fashion, the heating 
coil will be retained in the grooves by its own elasticity. For 
the electrical connection to the heater use two pieces of No. 14 
white asbestos-covered copper wire, each about two feet long. 





J{ 



Fig. 273 — Section of the electric cooker and method of 
making the heating coil 

Attach these to the German-silver wire by twisting the ends, 
and tie them securely to the end insulators with wire. Place the 
heater in the bottom of the crock and bend the terminal wires 
close up against the inside of the latter and over the edge, so as 
to be out of the way of the cooking vessels that are to stand on 
the. porcelains. The outer ends may be attached to a double- 
pole knife-switch mounted on the side of the cooker. 

The electrical connections to the house circuit must be of a 
substantial character. Do not try to connect the cooker to a lamp 
socket or with small lamp cord — neither will carry the current 
safely. If no baseboard receptacle has been provided in the kit- 
chen, wire all the way back to the panelboard with No. 14 rubber- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



333 



covered wire and provide a pair of inclosed io-ampere fuses. It 
is well to remember that it will be necessary to move the cooker 
occasionally, so that it is worth while to make provision for 
easily disconnecting it. 




Fig. 274 — Arrangement of the heating element 

The operation of a cooker made as described is very simple. 
The prepared food is put in a covered tin vessel of suitable size* 
and placed on the heater in the bottom of the crock, after which 
everything is closed up tightly. The current is then turned on 
for ten to twenty minutes, depending on the quantity and kind 
of food to be cooked, after which the cooker will keep hot for 
several hours. A little experience soon teaches one how long 
to keep the current on, and then the whole operation becomes 



334 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

as easy as the boiling of an egg in the old-fashioned way. In 
the cooking of roast meats it is well to apply the current a 
second time for two or three minutes after an hour has elapsed. 

No danger of fire is to be anticipated from a cooker made and 
installed as described, but it is almost self-evident that if one 
were to forget to turn off the current both the food and the heat- 
ing coil would soon be destroyed, since the heat is generated 
very rapidly and has no means of escape. To guard against such 
a mishap, procure about a foot of }i inch brass or copper tubing 
and a very small whistle. Arrange the tube so that one end 
opens into the crock alongside of one of the connecting wires 
while the other end passes out through the wood case. To the 
outer end solder the whistle in such a manner that it will be 
blown by steam escaping from the crock. With this device in 
working order, if the current be left on too long, the steam escap- 
ing from the food will sound the alarm in good time. — 95 

A HOME-MADE HEAT-RETAINING BOTTLE 

Within the last few years there have appeared on the market 
several different makes of bottles designed to keep their contents 
hot or cold for a day or more, but their present high cost of 
from five to six dollars each in quart sizes still keeps them in the 
class of luxuries. By following out the instructions given below, 
however, anybody can make for a few cents a bottle that will be 
a fair substitute for the more costly manufactured article. 

The essential principle involved is to surround a bottle with 
as poor a conductor of heat as possible, and thus prolong the 
time that it would ordinarily take for the contents to lose their 
initial heat or cold. The manufactured bottles are blown double, 
one within the other, and a vacuum is then formed in the space 
between them. Since a vacuum is the best possible non-con- 
ductor of heat, the contents of the inner bottle are well insulated 
from the outer air, except at the neck and top. In addition to 
this the inner bottle is also silver-plated on the outside so as to 
act as a heat reflector. • 

Nature has not provided us with any solid substance that even 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



335 



approaches a vacuum in its heat insulating qualities, but by using 
a sufficient thickness of loose sheep's wool, well dried, fair results 
can be obtained. Other substances, valuable in the order named, 
are woolen blankets, loose 
feathers, hair felt, and cotton 
wool. 

In Fig. 275 is shown a sec- 
tion of a bottle intended to 
be portable, and therefore 
made as light and compact as 
possible. It consists of a 
cylinder A of bright tin and 
an outer tin box B having 
the space between them filled 
with the wool C, a part of 
which is sewed up into a mat- 
tress or cushion E. The bot- 
tle D must in all cases be pro- 
vided with a tight rubber ring 
to prevent spilling the con- 
tents, and, what is equally 
important, to avoid moisten- 
ing the wool. The bottle may 
be a quart milk bottle or a 
one or two quart fruit jar. 
Smaller sizes do not hold their 
heat long enough to be worth 

while. The thickness of the wool packing must be 1^ inches 
thick at the very least, and when portability is not necessary it 
is desirable to have a thickness of from four to six inches. In 
the latter cases the outer box may be made square and of wood 
with a hinged cover. 

Made as described, a bottle of this kind can be depended upon 
to keep its contents reasonably hot or cold for from six hours to 
an entire day, depending mostly on the thickness of the packing 
and its composition. — 95 




Fig. 275. — A heat retaining bottle 



336 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



ICELESS REFRIGERATION 

While the mad race for supremacy between the mercury and 
price of ice is on much comfort can be taken in the fact 
that there are other methods of keeping victuals cool besides 
that of melting ice in an ice box. If in changing from the 
solid to the liquid state water absorbs sufficient heat to keep an 
ice box cool, it is equally true that a change from the liquid to 
the gaseous state will result in refrigeration, provided, of course, 
the rate of vaporization keeps pace with the heat which enters 
the ice box from the outside atmosphere. Under proper condi- 
tions it is possible by this method to maintain a sufficiently low 




Fig. 276 — Refrigerator complete 
with tank uncovered 



Fig. 277 — Cloth removed to show 
the zinc box 



temperature in the ice box to preserve food from rapid decay. 
A simple method of making such an iceless refrigerator is illus-; 
trated in Fig. 276. In Fig. 277 the cover of the water tank is 
removed. The box comprises a frame A, Fig. 278, which is built 
upon a wooden floor B. The frame A serves as a support for a 
zinc box D, which is fastened thereto. The water tank F is 
soldered to the top of the box, while at the bottom is a trough 
D 1 . The door E at the front of the box has its own trough sec- 
tion E 1 . Slots G are cut in the four sides of the tank F to re-' 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



337 



ceive the ends of a cloth cover for the box. The cover is prefer- 
ably made up of several thicknesses of cheesecloth stitched to- 
gether at the corners, and the ends are jammed tightly through 
the slots into the water tank 
F. The door E is provided 
with its own section of 
cheesecloth, as indicated in 
the illustration. In opera- 
tion the water from the 
tank soaks into the cheese- 
cloth and by capillary at- 
traction and gravity passes 
on down to the bottom of 
the cloth, where any excess 
of water is caught in the 
trough. The flow of water 
through and over the cloth 
P 



i 




p 


ChetstCloUx^ 


s^s 




f^^ 


^^|L 




( A 


V-E 

WieeseCloth. 

X 


A 


-A A-\ 



Fig. 278 — Cross-sectional view of 
refrigerator 



Fig. 279 — How to keep a 
milk bottle cool 



should be very slow, and may be regu- 
lated to a large extent by the tightness 
with which the cloth is stuffed into the 
slots G. 

The box is placed on a suitable shelf 
supported by brackets just outside of 
the open window on the breeziest side 
of the house and out of the direct rays 
of the sun. It is advisable to make the 
box a couple of inches narrower than 
the window opening, so that the cur- 
rents of air passing in and out of the 
window may have free passage all 
around the moist cheesecloth. As the 
water in the cheesecloth is evaporated 
it absorbs a large amount of heat, 
much of which is taken from the zinc 
box, tending to keep the food in the 
box cool. A modification of this idea is 



338 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



shown in Fig. 279. Here the construction is adapted to cool an 
individual milk bottle. The cloth covering is placed directly 
over the bottle, and at its upper end is jammed into a slot in 
the bottom of the small reservoir. The milk bottle is placed in a 
saucer, which serves as a trough to catch the excess of water. 
Instead of the cheesecloth covering, the leg of a sock can be 
used, as this is already of cylindrical form and is well adapted to 
hold the moisture. In case the water from the tank does not 
moisten the cover sufficiently, the trough may be also filled, and 
the water will be drawn- up therefrom by capillary attraction. — 90 

ELECTRIC COFFEE POT 

A simple electrically heated coffee pot can be made as follows : 

Procure a round tin can of about two quarts capacity. This 

can should be about 5 inches in diameter and should be open at 

one end. The open end should be round and smooth, so that a 

wooden cover can be easily fitted into it. 

Cover the bottom and sides of the 
can with heavy felt, sticking it on with 
shellac. Put on a layer of electrician's 
tape over the felt, and stick a piece 
of fiber or cardboard on the bottom. 
Then give the whole outside of the 
coffee pot a couple of good coats of 
shellac. It is very important that this 
part of the work be well done, since 
if the can is not properly covered with 
felt, the heat generated in the cof- 
fee pot will be conducted off sd quickly 
by the air that it will be impossible to 
boil water in it. 
The next step is to make a cover 
for the can. This cover should be made from hard wood, should 
fit tightly, and should have a small hole in it to allow steam to 
escape. A standard water-proof lamp socket should be screwed 
to the inner side of the cover, and the leading-in wires should 




Fig. 280 — An electric 

coffee pot 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 339 

be brought out through small holes drilled in the cover for that 
purpose. Each wire should be brought through a separate hole, 
so as to avoid possibilities of a short circuit ; and wherever there 
are live metal parts care should be taken to insulate them, as it 
is very easy to get a short circuit where all parts are exposed to 
steam. 

The leads from the socket should be connected to a screw plug 
by a suitable length of flexible lamp cord. 

Screw an ordinary 32-candle-power lamp into the water-proof 
socket. Cover the joint with tape and shellac to keep the steam 
away from it. 

The coffee pot is now complete, and all that is required is to 
fill the pot with water and coffee, put the cover on with the lamp 
projecting down into the pot, and screw the plug into the handiest 
lamp socket. — 62 

AN IMPROVEMENT FOR THE BROILING PAN 

When broiling steak, chops or the like in a gas-range, the suet 
that is tried out from the fatty part invariably catches fire. As a 




Fig. 281— Double-bottomed broiling pan 

rule the fat is overheated and burns fiercely, and many efforts to 
put it out, when taken from the oven, fail. 

The accompanying illustration shows a very simple way to 
avoid this. In the pan used for broiling is placed a perforated 
false bottom, made out of black iron of any thickness. The 
edges are turned down, say one quarter of an inch, forming sup- 
ports for the bottom. This false bottom should be nearly of the 
same size as the pan. On large pans, of course, the bottom should 



340 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



be braced with strips of iron, to prevent warping from the heat. 

In service the suet melts, and runs down through the perfora- 
tions to the bottom of the pan. No matter how hot the fire, the 
suet will not catch fire, as it is protected from the flames by the 
perforated bottom which acts like the screen of a miner's lamp. 
The bottom can easily be removed and cleaned and the suet in 
the pan be emptied out.— 5 

PATCH FOR KITCHEN BOILERS 

When by reason of rust, corrosion, or any other agency, the 
shell of the kitchen boiler is punctured, the problem of stopping 
the leak should not cause Handy Man any worry. A little device 




Fig. 282— Patch for the kitchen boiler 



like that shown above can readily be made, and it will effectually 
and permanently close the hole. It consists of a square-headed 
brass machine screw, with head flattened and pierced to receive 
a pin, whereby it is pivoted between the walls of a channel- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 34I 

shaped brass bearing piece. The opposite end of the screw is 
fitted with a leather washer, a broad metal washer slightly curved 
to fit the contour of the boiler, and a nut. 

The illustration shows how the device is applied. The punc- 
ture is enlarged sufficiently to admit the bearing piece. The lat- 
ter is swung into alinement with the screw and passed through-trie 
hole. The overhanging part of the bearing screw should be 
longer, and hence heavier, than the other portion, so as to make 
the bearing piece swing to a vertical position as soon as it clears 
the inner surface of the boiler shell. The screw will then be re- 
tained by the bearing piece, and the nut can be screwed up to 
clamp the leather against the outer surface of the shell. This 
done the projecting part of the screw can be cut or filed oft*. — 27, 

HOW TO MEND A CAST-IRON BOILER 

An overheated cast-iron steam boiler, with low water level, 
is very easily cracked when cold water is let in suddenly. The 
leak caused thereby will sometimes put out the fire and render 
the boiler useless. 

The leak is very easily mended in the following manner : 
First cool off the boiler by putting on some fresh coal, and leaving 
the fire door open until the steam pressure has gone down. Then 
unscrew the safety valve or any other fitting on top of the 
boiler. Through the opening* pour in about half a package of 
ordinary oatmeal. Bran will also serve the purpose. 

Then replace the safety valve, and open the feed-water cock, and 
fill up the boiler with water above the crack. This will stir 
up the oatmeal. As the water runs out through the crack, it 
carries particles of the oatmeal with it, which will lodge in the 
crack and soon stop the leak. 

Now close the feed door, and draw up the fire, and the steam 
generated will force these particles of oatmeal through the crack, 
which soon will rust and bake there, making' it nearly as hard 
as the cast iron itself, and it will withstand almost any steam 
pressure. In fact, it would be impossible for the steam to blow 
it out ; it simply gets tighter and tighter, making the boiler nearly 



342 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



as good as before. The writer has known boilers mended in this 
way to last several years. 

When the boiler has thus been mended, open partly the feed- 
water cock, thereby filling up the boiler with water. At the same 
time draw off the water from the boiler through the drain cock 
until all the surplus oatmeal is drawn off and the water becomes 
clear, maintaining at all times the normal water level. 

If the surplus oatmeal is not drawn off, it will cause the boiler 
to foam and blow off through the safety valve, raising more 
or less disturbance for a long time to come. — 5 

MENDING CAST-IRON BOILERS, RADIATORS, AND 
THE LIKE 

The writer has seen people try to solder up a leak in a cast- 
iron radiator; but as a rule, after a short time, the fault needs 
mending again. A much better way is to plug the leak with 




Fig. 283 — Plugging a hole 
with copper wire 



Fig. 284 — Stopping up a 
crack with copper plugs 



copper. The accompanying drawings show how easily this is 
done, making a permanent job. When the radiator is cold, drill 
a small hole, say % inch diameter, with an ordinary drill; then 
with another drill, preferably flat, ground a little out of center, 
drill into the same hole a little deeper. It will be seen that the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 343 

last drill has made the hole somewhat larger at the bottom. Care 
should be taken not to drill in too deep or through, as there will 
be nothing to rivet against. 

Now take a piece of copper wire, anneal it, and file or 
point the end that goes into the hole, so that it will fit the 
bottom of the same. Cut it off about 3/16 inch longer than the 
depth of the hole. Then with a small hammer drive it into the 
hole, and keep . on hammering with quick blows until the whole 
length is driven in and riveted on the outside. The soft copper 
wire will then fill the enlarged hole at the bottom, and form 
a head inside the cast-iron. 

As the radiator gets hot, the copper will expand and make the 
hole absolutely steam-tight. If a crack is to be fixed, then a 
number of holes are drilled at a distance apart that equals nearly 
the diameter of the copper wire to be used. Then these holes 
are plugged, and another set of holes are drilled between the 
first ones, cutting all the cast iron away and part of the copper 
plugs as well. Then these holes are plugged as before de- 
scribed. It will now be seen that practically a strip of copper 
is dovetailed into the cast iron, which will not work loose or 
come out, and when hot will expand and withstand almost 
any steam pressure. This operation can also be used in riveting 
one or more pieces of metal together, especially where a blind 
rivet is desired. Instead of copper, soft iron or steel may be used, 
as the rivets need not be steam-tight. — 5 

GAS FIRE-LIGHTING APPARATUS 

A simple and quick method of lighting a fire without the use 
of paper, wood, or charcoal is of great convenience at times. 
This object can be obtained by the use of the arrangement illus- 
trated herewith. It consists of material which can be procured 
at any plumber's and costs very little. Three j^-inch pipe 
nipples A, three 1 inch nipples B, a standard hose connection C, 
one ^-inch plug D, and three standard % x 1 inch air mixers or 
tees E, such as are usually used in vulcanizers, form a list of 
the fittings necessary. 



344 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



These tees E are ^ inch on the run and i inch on the outlet. 
The outlet end is closed back of the thread except for a small 
hole F of about 1/32 inch diameter, and they have 5/16 inch 
air holes G on both sides. With the 1 inch nipples they make 
first-class Bunsen burners. 

The fittings are arranged as shown in Fig. 285, and are sup- 
ported by a ^x^ inch flat iron stand H I, made high enough 
to permit the entire apparatus to be placed in the ashpit of the 
range and still kept as close as possible to the grate bars. 

The number of burners must of course be made to suit each 
&pale 




Fig. 285 — Section through 

range showing lighter 

in place 



Fig. 286 — A general view of the 
fire lighter 



grate, but for the ordinary case, two or three will be sufficient. 
To light the fire, the burners are placed in the ashpit, close to the 
grates, and with the range full of coal they are lighted. The 
coal catches fire very quickly, and the burner may be removed. 
Of course, the attachment between the burner and the fixture 
should be by rubber hose, and the entire apparatus occupies 
such small space that it can be easily stowed away in a small 
space. — 78 

REPLACING A FIREPOT 

People having homes equipped with a fireplace heater have 
probably found that after a few years' service their heater loses 
its efficiency as a heat producer. In the case of a heater having 
an iron firepot, this is usually due to the iron being burnt out, 
causing it to lose its heat-retaining qualities. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



345 



To replace the old firepot with a new one, it is necessary to 
put in a new ring to hold the pot in place, due to the warping 
of the old ring from heat. 

To have a stove repairer do this work is expensive, as the 
practice is to take the heater apart in sections by removing 
the bolts A (Fig. 287), to admit the ring B, which is of such 
dimensions as to prohibit its admission in front of heater. This 
ring is provided with recesses to engage the projections or pins C 
on the under side of firepot sections D. 




Fig. 287 — Replacing a firepot 

The writer has found that by cutting through the ring B, as 
shown in the bottom plan view, so as to break joints with the 
firepot sections D, the two sections of the ring may be set in place 
through the door openings, and the firepot sections set in their 
respective positions one after the other, beginning with the section 
D, which bridges the breach in ring.- 

This method has its advantages over the old way in giving an 
equally strong construction, and being far more economical, as 
it does not necessitate the removal of the heater. — 3 

LET THE CLOCK OPEN THE FURNACE DRAFTS 

Most furnaces are nowadays arranged so that the drafts can 
be operated from the living rooms above, but still require the 



346 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



personal attention of some shivering member of the household, 
before dawn on cold winter mornings, if the house is to be 
comfortably warm by breakfast time. Undoubtedly much irrita- 
bility and fatigue, if not actual sickness, can be traced to the 
strain of this early rising under the most unfavorable conditions. 
It is a very simple matter, which anyone could undertake 




Fig. 288— Drafts closed, alarm set 

successfully, to so arrange an alarm clock that it will control all 
the drafts and dampers and open them at any desired time in the 
morning. If it is absolutely necessary to shake down the fire, 
remove ashes, and add fresh fuel, the problem is a much more 
difficult one, far beyond the strength or capacity of the dutiful 
alarm clock. Most furnaces, however, can, with a little experience, 
be so left the night before that on opening the drafts in the 
morning they will burn up rapidly and soon have the house at 
a comfortable temperature. Fresh fuel, unless absolutely neces- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



347 



sary, actually delays the heating up of the house and is much 
better added later, when the demand for heat is not so urgent. 

The apparatus comprises a base-board fitted with two screw 
eyes, through which the usual chains are passed. Hinged to the 
board with a pair of staples is a U-shaped lever, with one arm 
about 5 inches long and the other just long enough to catch the 
chain. The lever is located far enough above the screw eyes to 




Closed 
Open o 



We/ffa 


1 
1 

t 






* 






• 
i i 

X 1 




Fi/r/7Cfce 




Draft 







Fig. 289— Drafts directly con- 
nected to alarm key 



Fig. 290 — Arrangement with 
counterweight to open drafts 



allow for the proper opening and closing of the drafts. The screw 
eyes are not placed directly under the short arm of the lever, 
but on either side, so as to prevent the chains from kinking and 
catching on the hooks when they are released by the lever. 

The alarm clock, which furnishes the brains for this apparatus, 
may be supported on a long hook or nail, and others bearing 



348 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



against the feet on each side will prevent it from swinging side- 
wise. Some people, who desire unbroken dreams, will turn the 
gong or bell upside down to put it out of the reach of the fiendishly- 
energetic clapper, but that is an unimportant detail which may- 
be left to personal taste and preference. 

The clock, intended for a hard physical job like this, must 




Fig. 291— Chains released, drafts open 

have the alarm winding key so arranged that it unwinds when the 
alarm "goes off." There are a number of clocks on the market 
of different shapes and sizes which are made with this important 
feature. 

To prevent chafing of the cord, unscrew this winding key and 
slip on, back of it, a thick cardboard washer. Then connect the 
key and wire lever with a piece of cord and the contrivance 19 
ready for operation, ftfter setting the clock, the cord should be 
wound onto the key in winding the alarm. Then the chains are 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



349 



hung in place on the lever. When the alarm "goes off" the lever 
turns on its pivot, releasing the chains and permitting the usual 
weight to drop and thereby open the drafts and damper. If the 
furnace is not arranged with a weight for operating the draft 
the chains may be connected directly to the key by a cord which 
will be wound up on the key as the alarm goes off. — 98 

MILK TESTING WITHOUT APPARATUS 

The following process for the detection of added water or of 
skimmed milk in ordinary milk is more accurate than the sim- 
ple use of the lactodensimeter without the creamometer check. 




Fig. 292 — Simple method of testing milk 



I 



350 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

The whole test can be made in five minutes. The result does 
not show whether the adulteration consists in the addition of 
water or in the subtraction of cream, but as a rule this matters 
little to the consumer. What he wants to know is whether or not 
he has what he has paid for. 

The suspected milk is stirred with a spoon, in order to dis- 
seminate into the whole liquid the cream which may have come 
to the surface. Then one volume of milk is poured into fifty 
volumes of water. (One fluid ounce to two and a half pints.) 
A candle is lighted in a dark room. The experimenter takes an 
ordinary drinking glass with a tolerably flat and even bottom, 
and holds it right above the candle, at a distance of about one 
foot from it, so as to be able to see the flame of the candle through 
the bottom of the glass. He then pours slowly the diluted milk 
into the glass. (See the accompanying figure.) 

The flame becomes less and less bright as the level of the liquid 
rises into the glass. The flame is soon reduced to a dull white 
spot. A little more liquid, slowly added so as to avoid pouring an 
excess, and the flame becomes absolutely invisible. All that re- 
mains to be done is to measure the height of the liquid in the 
glass, this being most conveniently ascertained by dipping into it 
a strip of pasteboard and then measuring the wet part. It 
should measure not over one inch if the milk is pure. With good 
quality milk, diluted and tested as stated, the depth will be about 
}i of an inch before the flame is lost to view. A mixture of one 
volume of milk and a half a volume of water should show a 
depth of \V 2 inches. A depth of 2 inches indicates either par- 
tially skimmed milk or a mixture of one volume of good milk with 
one of water, and so on. 

The reader has already understood that the process is based 
upon the close relation between the opacity of milk and the num- 
ber of fatty corpuscles contained in it. Both skimming and the 
adding of water work in the same direction, namely, to decrease 
the opacity of milk. The same cannot be said of the density. 
Skimming increases it, adding water decreases it; and the com- 
mon test, which consists in the mere introduction of the lacto- 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



351 



densimeter in milk, is worthless, as a skimmed milk may have a 
normal density if care has been taken to pour into it a certain 
amount of water. Density should be taken before and after skim- 
ming, and the percentage of cream should be determined with 
the creamometer. Thus applied, the density test requires a lacto- 
densimeter, a thermometer, and a creamometer, and the test re- 
quires twenty-four hours, while the result is not much more ac- 
curate than the opacity test just described. — 58 

SIMPLE METHOD OF PULLING A CORK 

If you own a corkscrew of the kind illustrated, you can easily 
remove the tightest cork without fear of soiling your clothes. 
After turning the screw well into the cork, place the lip of the 




Fig. 293 — Simple method of pulling a cork 

bottle under the edge of a table or shelf, then with the upper sur- 
face of the table as a rest, lift up on the handle of the implement, 
and the cork will follow smoothly. — 33 

WATERPROOF MATCHES 

Perhaps some of your readers would be interested to know that 
I have found a simple, inexpensive way to waterproof matches. 



i iT 



o> 



HANDY At AN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Into some melted paraffine (care being taken that it was as cool 
as possible) I dipped a few ordinary parlor matches. After 
withdrawing them and allowing them to cool it was found that 
they scratched almost as easily as before being coated with the 
wax. Several were held under water for six or seven hours and 
all of them lighted as easily' as before immersion. When the 
match is scratched the paraffine is first rubbed off and the match 
lights in the usual way. 

Matches treated as above would be very useful on camping or 
canoeing trips, as they do not absorb moisture. Since more rub- 
bing is required to light them than the ordinary match, it would 
be practically impossible to set them on fire by accidentally 
dropping them. — 2 

- UNSCREWING A JAR TOP 

When recently called upon to unscrew a jar cover that resisted 
all other efforts to loosen it, the writer bethought himself of the 
rope and lever pipe wrench. (Described on page 74.) A length 
of strong twine was procured, and coiled double around the 
cover. Through the loop in the end of the doubled twine, a 




Fig. 294 — Unscrewing a tight jar top 

stick Of wood was inserted. Then with the thumb of the left 
hand pressing lightly against the twine to prevent it from slip- 
ping, it was an easy matter to pry open the cover with the right 
hand in the manner illustrated in the accompanying photo- 
graph.— 89 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND -LABORATORY 



353 



AN IMPROVISED SHOE STRETCHER 

Nearly every person, at some time or other, has wished he 
could stretch a shoe which at a particular point pinched the foot 
or irritated a corn. It is not necessary to go to a shoemaker to 
have the leather stretched. It can easily be done at home by 
means of a shoe tree of suitable form upon which an enlargement 
is formed at the necessary point. The enlargement must adhere 
firmly to the tree and must be of such a nature that it can be 
easily molded, and that it will not become detached from the tree 
when the latter is forced into the shoe. A material answering 




Fig. 295 — An improvised shoe stretcher 

all these requirements is ordinary candle wax. Sealing wax 
might be used but the candle wax is preferable, as it will not in- 
jure the tree, and may be more easily manipulated. The enlarge- 
ment is formed by dripping a suitable quantity of the melted wax 
upon the tree at the desired point, and molding the resulting 
excrescence into proper shape while the wax is plastic. It adheres 
to the tree with remarkable and unexpected tenacity, and owing to 
it's waxy nature tends to slip easily into the shoe with the tree. 
The shoe can be slightly moistened at the troublesome part to 
facilitate the stretching action. — 10 

HOW TO MEND A HAMMOCK OR FISH NET 

It is safe to state that not one per cent of persons using a ham- 
mock or handling a fish net know how to mend them should 
they get torn or damaged in any way. 



354 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



Whether the tear is a large or small one, the meshes or small 
squares of which the net is made must be cut out, until a sym- 
metrical figure is made, as shown in Fig. 296 ; i. e., there must be 
a single square or mesh and a double one on opposite sides of 
the tear. 

! ! I I I I I L_( Lj I \ (J < 1 ( 

rrrrrr :m ill xlux 



44 



ft 



TTT — r I 

I j I rt~r 1 ' 1 



1 1 



Fig. 296 — How to repair a hammock or fish net 

Fig. 296 also shows the commencement of the mend and the 
tear completely mended. 

Always commence in the middle of the double mesh, and end 
in the opposite one. Each successive stitch and knot is numbered 
in the illustration from 1 to 18. 

The knots are formed by pinching the meshes, as at 5, for in- 
stance, into a loop, as shown in Fig. 297 at A. Then threading 
the cord through the loop, a knot is made, either a flat or true 

lover's knot, as shown at B, or better still 
a fisherman's bend knot, as shown at C. 

//^ ^^ ^ e l atter * s not on ly more easily made, 
since it only passes through the eye once, 
but it will not slip so easily. 

If the tear is a large one, it is well to 
make a needle, as shown at D, which is 
made from a piece of thin wood, about 5 
or 6 inches long by }i of an inch wide, 
cut out as shown. The cord or twine is 
wrapped around this needle, and as the 
stitches and knots are being made, is unwound. — 3 








Fig, 297 — How to knot 
the cord 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



355 



MENDING A CRACKED BOTTLE 

A very neat way to mend a piece of cracked glassware with 
sodium silicate or water-glass came to the writer's notice some 
weeks ago. A cut glass decanter which the owner valued very 
highly had a bad crack running irregularly around the bottom 
and partly up the side. In addition to preventing its use, it ren- 
dered it unsightly. 

To remove all appearance of the crack, the decanter was 
warmed slowly and then sealed with its own ground stopper. The 
water-glass was then applied with a broad brush on the outside 




Fig. 298 — Mending a cracked bottle 



of the crack, and as the air cooled inside the external pressure 
forced it into the crack, which completely disappeared and was 
rendered perfectly water tight to cold water at least. 

Since seeing the above the writer has tried the same operation 



356 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



with success on a wide-mouthed jar, but obtained a much better 
vacuum and therefore better results without heating the jar. 

A deep basin was procured, and in the center a candle was ar- 
ranged, as shown in Fig. 298. The basin was then filled with 
water and the cracked jar inverted over the lighted candle ; as the 
air in the jar was consumed by the candle, it was slowly lowered 
into the water which effectively sealed it. The water-glass was 
then applied as in the previous operation and the whole left to 
harden. The water-glass took six to eight hours to set and then 
the outside of the bottle or jar was washed with a cloth dipped in 
hot water to remove all superfluous water glass,— '21 



A TIN CAN LEADER ^ 

A friend of mine who hates to see anything go to waste has 
found an excellent use for old tin cans. The rain pipes or leaders 
of his house are all home-made, and built up of tomato cans. 

He claims that they are 
much more satisfactory 
than the ordinary galvan- 
ized iron leader, for the 
reason that they were 
thickly coated with paint on 
the inside as they were 
built up can by can. The 
first step in the operation 
was to remove the top and 
bottom of each can. The 
solder was melted off by 
placing the cans on a hot 
stove. After the tops and 
bottoms dropped off, one 
end of each can was ex- 
panded slightly so as to re- 
ceive the end of the next can, which was fitted in, to a depth of 
about a quarter of an inch. Then they were soldered together and, 





Fig. 299 — A leader made of old tin cans 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 357 

as an extra precaution, the longitudinal seam of each was re- 
soldered so as to close any leak that may have been sprung during 
the process of removing the top and bottom of the can. To in- 
crease the strength of the leader the cans were so arranged that the 
longitudinal seams of the successive sections were staggered as 
shown in the illustration so as to form a symmetrical and regular 
spiral running around the leader. Each can as it was soldered to 
the leader was painted on the inside wall with a thick coat of paint, 
special attention being given to the joints. After the leader was 
completed the outside also was protected with several coats of 
paint.— 55 

EJECTOR MADE OUT OF PIPE FITTINGS 

A simple ejector may be made out of ordinary pipe fittings, 
which will compare very favorably with some of the ejectors on 
the market. It may be used in draining a flooded cellar, in 
which case it may be attached to the ordinary water faucet for 
motive agent. It can also be used for emptying cisterns or in 
excavations for new work where water is struck. (Of course, 
in this case, steam will be used as the motive agent.) 

Some time ago the writer was engaged in building a reservoir, 
and at a depth of 15 feet a spring of water was struck. Having 
no means at hand to get the water out of the excavation, an 
ejector was made out of some old pipe fittings. Four such 
ejectors kept the water level down while the work was being done. 
One of these ejectors worked night and day for nearly three weeks 
until completely worn out owing to the fact that a great amount 
of sand and gravel was carried through. 

These ejectors can be duplicated as follows: First take a 
1 % by 6-inch nipple ; screw on each end of the same any kind of fit- 
ting so as to preserve the threads. Heat the nipple in the middle to 
a white heat. Then swedge down until the outside diameter is 
about 24 inch. When cold remove the fittings, and the cone is made, 
(See A, Fig. 300.) Now take a ^4-inch pipe, heat one end to a 
welding heat, and swedge down to a long point. A 3/16 rod may 
be inserted in the end to give the hole the right dimension, as it 



358 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



may be drilled out afterward. When cold, thread the pipe about 
4 inches and screw on a jam nut B. On the "rim" of a i}4-inch 
tee attach the cone above described and then a i^-inch elbow 
into which screw a close nipple. On the other end of the nipple 
screw another elbow, forming a kind of step or stop. To this el- 
bow may be attached either a hose or a pipe to carry off the 




Fig. 300— Thii ejector can be used for draining flooded cellars 



water. On the opposite end of the tee attach a reducing bushing, 
into which insert the nozzle shown at C. Care should be taken 
to get the nozzle in perfect alinement with the cone, and when in 
proper place, screw up the jam nut with some packing behind it, 
to make it air tight. In the other opening of the tee attach a pipe 
or a very heavy hose, preferably "ironclad," as the suction will 
have a tendency to close it up. — 5 



HOME-MADE VACUUM CLEANER 

The installation of a vacuum cleaning system in private houses 
entails at present a considerable expense, as it includes the pur- 
chase and maintenance of a gasoline engine and vacuum pump. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



359 



If the latter two machines were eliminated, 
and a simple method of obtaining the 
required vacuum devised, this great labor- 
saving device would be much more in evi- 
dence, even in homes of moderate size. 

This object can be realized by use of the 
ejector or ordinary barometric condenser 
used in connection with the city water sup- 
ply through a tank. 

The entire arrangement can be built at the 
rear of the dwelling, and does not take up 
more room than an ordinary leader pipe. 

The illustration shows the arrangement of 
the device. A is an ordinary hose nozzle 
12 inches long, with thread for a 3-inch iron 
pipe on large end and tapped for a 3/2 -inch 
pipe on the smaller end. 

By means of the nipple G it is connected 
to a 3 by ^4-inch tee, which is bushed on 
the opposite end to 1 inch. This bushing 
has a 1 -inch pipe D extending from the 
inside and ending as shown in the cut just 
inside of the nozzle. The other end of D 
protrudes through the bushing F, and is then 
run as afterward described. The smaller 
end of the nozzle carries a y 2 -'mch pipe H, 
which forms the down leg of the ejector. 
The apparatus is placed so that the point 

K is at least 34 feet above the cellar, forming the barometric 
column. The pipe B is connected with the water supply, prefera- 
bly a tank with a float valve to regulate the flow. 

The pipe H is carried down to a seal pot M situated in the 
cellar. This can be made of a barrel with an overflow to the 
sewer, as shown at L. 

The pipe C is carried to a vacuum reservoir, which can be situ- 
ated either in cellar or attic, preferably the latter, as it means a 




Fig. 301*— Home-made 
vacuum cleaner 



360 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

saving in piping and less joints to provide chance of leaks. This 
pipe is connected to the top of the reservoir, and the service pipe 
to the various rooms also comes from the upper end, but extends 
to within 12 inches of the bottom. 

The service pipe has a connection for rubber hose, with a valve 
at each floor. 

In order to obtain the required vacuum, all that is necessary is 
to turn on the water in the pipe B, when the descending column 
in H causes a partial vacuum in the reservoir and in the service 
pipes. 

Care must be taken that all joints are made perfectly airtight 
in service pipes and in C. 

The reservoir must also be airtight. It can be made of a kitch- 
en boiler with a small handhole cut in the bottom to remove 
dust which collects within. 

The ejector can be placed outside without danger of freezing 
if precaution is taken to break the vacuum when through using, 
thereby emptying the down leg of all water. 

The down leg need not be straight if the first bend is at least 
10 feet from the nozzle. 

This device is not intended to supply a vacuum cleaning system 
for large buildings, but rather for private dwellings, and can be 
put up by anyone accustomed to handling pipe and competent to 
make good tight joints. 

The pressure of water in the pipe B has no effect on the amount 
of vacuum obtainable. This depends on the column of water in 
the pipe H, which, as stated, must be at least 34 feet from K to L. 
This distance corresponds to the height of the barometer, or in 
other words, to the weight of the atmosphere. The best and most 
economical method of controlling the water supply is to place 
a tank, similar to the ordinary bathroom tank, above the ap- 
paratus and control the amount of water through a valve. The 
tank would get its supply from the house mains through a float- 
operated valve. 

The apparatus is meant to supply a small private dwelling 
where not more than one or two openings would be in use simulta- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 361 

neously, and if required for a larger installation must be increased 
in size. 

The nozzle A is a standard size nozzle and can be used if de- 
sired for larger installations by changing the bushing F to cor- 
respond to the increased size of the pipe C and using the proper 
opening at B. The pipe H when increased must be attached to 
the nozzle by means of a coupling which in turn is screwed on 
the outside of the nozzle, the latter being turned and threaded to 
suit. The nozzle described has a ^-inch hole at this point and 
can stand being bored to I inch, as the metal is pretty heavy. 

The reservoir mentioned is not absolutely necessary. Most of 
the dust is carried over and goes down with the water and only 
the larger particles will drop in the reservoir. If the latter is 
omitted, an opening must be left in the lowest part of the pipe 
C through which this dust is removed. 

The efficiency of the apparatus depends in the first place on 
the joints in all pipes being absolutely airtight. If pipe with 
good threads, fitting tightly, is used and made up with red lead in 
a proper manner, airtight joints may be expected. If it is neces- 
sary to make a bend in the pipe H at a point 10 feet below K, 
45-degree ells should be used to make it as gradual as possible. 
In figuring out the size of the pipe necessary for any size of ma- 
chine the, starting point must be the sum of the areas of openings 
in use. This will give the area of the pipe C. The seal pot M 
can if desired be dispensed with if the pipe H is connected to the 
waste water connection. The dimensions of all pipes are inside. 
This holds good in all cases up to 14 inches when outside diameter 
is usually given. 

The quantity of water will depend of course on the size of the 
machine. The following formula will be found accurate enough 
for all purposes : 

g == gallons of water per minute and d = diameter of pipe H m 
inches. The amount of vacuum necessary for ordinary cleaning 
purposes should not be less than 15 inches, but for light work such 



362 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

as walls, hardwood floors, etc., satisfactory results can be obtained 
with 8 to 10 inches. The higher figures are necessary where 
heavy rugs, carpets, and similar articles are to be cleaned. 

The cleaning implements are far too numerous in design to de- 
scribe, and can be procured on the market much cheaper than they 
can be made at home. 

As regards mechanical efficiency this apparatus will create suf- 
ficient vacuum to do all necessary cleaning, but it has a fixed 
volume, therefore its volumetric efficiency is less. The apparatus 
is intended not to supply a cleaning system for hotels, clubs, 
churches, and buildings of such a character, but is thoroughly 
capable of cleaning private dwellings. In a pump plant, for in- 
stance, its cleaning power can be increased by running the pump 
at a greater speed and thereby taking care of a larger number 
of openings, of course up to a certain point. In the water sys- 
tem nothing is gained by increasing the flow of water in the pipe 
3. Therefore, if the capacity of this apparatus is to be increased 
the only method of doing so is to increase the size of the pipe C 
and all other fittings accordingly. For large installations this 
would mean a considerable increase and therefore render the ap- 
paratus impracticable. — 21 

ANTI-FREEZING OUTSIDE FAUCET 

It is at times convenient to be able to use an outside faucet in 
winter as well as in warm weather. To do this change the lo- 
cation of the stopcock, which is always placed just inside the 
cellar wall, from the dotted position A to the position shown by 
full lines. Then make an extension handle out of a piece of J4- 
inch pipe B. After first cutting a thread on both ends, slot one 
end to receive the T handle C of the stopcock. The other end of 
this pipe should be slotted, or a hole drilled through it large enough 
to receive a piece of 3^-inch gas pipe £ or a piece of iron of about 
the same diameter (a 20-penny wire nail will answer). Now 
screw on a gas cap so that it presses tightly against this cross- 
piece and holds it in place. An extra hole must be drilled through 
the brick wall for the extended handle. For this make a drill 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



363 



out of a piece of gas or water pipe of the same diameter as the 
handle, having teeth filed in the end. Pass the handle through 




Fig. 302— Anti-freezing outside faucet 



the hole in the foundation and secure it to stopcock C by two 
locknuts F, leaving a little play so as not to bring any strain on 
the stem. If locknuts are not handy wrap a few turns of wire 
around the end of pipe after slipping it over the T handle. 

Of course the hose faucet must always be left open, and the 
best way to insure this is to remove the handle and working parts, 
and cap the stem hole by placing under the stuffing cap a piece 
of tin with a leather washer under it, or take off the faucet and 
put on an elbow. 

Be sure that the pipe slants downward from A to G or the 
water will not run off when the stopcock is closed. 

The best kind of stopcock to use is the compression type, as it 
works more easily than the ground seat kind and does not become 
leaky as soon. — 82 

THE HOSE REEL ON A HYDRANT 

The hose reel illustrated herewith is arranged to have the hose 
always connected to the hydrant so that it may be reeled and 



3^4 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



unreeled to any extent desired, the surplus length of hose remain- 
ing on the reel. The writer has not tried out this scheme but 
merely offers it to the Handy Man as a suggestion. The details 




Fig. 303 — The hose on the reel is permanently- 
connected to the hydrant 



of the construction need little explanation as they are clearly 
shown in Fig. 303. The reel is mounted to revolve on a hori- 
zontal pipe. The hydrant pipe passes through the horizontal pipe 
and is connected by a swivel joint with another pipe attached to 
the hose. This provides a permanent connection between the 
hydrant and the hose which is in no way interfered with by revolv- 
ing the reel. — 71 

A HOME-MADE LAWN SPRINKLER 

The accompanying illustrations show how a lawn sprinkler can 
be made. First take a one-half-inch street ell and drill a hole 
through it. Into this drive from the inside a large wire nail, and 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



&$ 




solder the same. This nail is to stick into the ground and hold the 
sprinkler in an upright position. Now screw on the male end of 
the ell an ordinary pipe coupling, and 
on the female end solder an ordinary 
half-inch hose coupling, so as to con- 
nect to the garden hose. 

Now take a block of end wood and 
cut out a cone-shaped recess. Make 
a round plug of wood, and shape the 
end a little smaller than the recess in 
the block. Take a small thin piece 
of brass about i)4 inch in diam- 
eter and anneal same. Place this brass 
disk on top of block and with a few 
quick blows with a hammer drive the 
plug dov/n into the recess in the block 
and the brass disk will assume the 
shape of the recess in the block. Now 
drill four holes, say about % inch 

d*iameter, diametrically opposite each other, and solder this cup- 
shaped disk to the pipe coupling as shown in the cut, and the 
sprinkler is ready for use. With ordinary water pressure it will 
throw water in a 30 to 40-foot circle. — 5 

HOW TO MEND GARDEN HOSE 

As the garden hose gets a little old, and begins to swell, it soon 
gets out of commission altogether if not attended to. 

A simple way to mend it is to wrap the hose with ordinary 
twine, which will make it last a few more seasons. As it is no 
easy matter to wind this cord by hand and get it even and under 
uniform tension, the writer has for many years used the simple 
contrivance shown in the accompanying illustration. 

It consists of an ordinary tin can with a lid, into which is put 
the ball of twine. In the center of the bottom make a small hole, 
through which pass the loose end of the cord. Thence let it run 
down the side of the can through a tension device and to the 



Fig. 304 — A home-made 
lawn sprinkler 



366 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

hose. To the cover of the can is soldered a small piece of tin, 
bent to a right angle and forming a guide for the hose. The 
tension device consists of a short piece of metal, with its upper 
end bent outward, forming a fulcrum for a short spring-com- 
pressed lever. The latter at its lower end has a small hole therein 
through which the cord is passed. A short stove bolt serves to 
regulate the tension on the lever. It will be observed that the 




Fig. 3°5 — Device for wrapping garden hose 

cord is pressed against the can by the lever. The whole device 
is now soldered to the tin can. 

In use, the can is turned around the hose, and with the tension 
properly adjusted, the twine will wind around the hose very 
closely, and will feed the can forward automatically. It will 
make the hose slightly smaller, and thus close all the small punc- 
tures, through which the water percolates, between the several 
layers of the canvas. By giving the cord a coat or two of some 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



367 



waterproofing, it will be found that the hose will last as long 
again ; besides it will stand a great deal more pressure than 
before. — 5 

HOW TO REPAIR A LEAK IN THE GARDEN HOSE 

To repair a leak in the garden hose obtain from a dentist a 
piece of the soft rubber which he uses in making artificial teeth. 
A piece large enough to cover the leak freely will be sufficient. 
Place this over the leak and bind it firmly in place with adhesive 
tape, being sure that the rubber is completely covered by the tape. 
Over this wrap twisted linen twine, commencing well below the 
leak and wrapping closely about the hose to a point beyond, so 
as to reinforce the hose where it mav be weak. This makes a 
water-tight patch ; one that will stand heavy pressure and give 
good service. — 66 

TO MAKE PAPER FLOWER POTS 

All gardeners and florists, and especially the amateurs, find 
that the common burned-clay flower pots are at once heavy and 
fragile, and that much room is required when they are to be 
stored away. As substitutes many gardeners have used straw- 
berry boxes and paper oyster pails, and have found them handier, 
especially for growing tomato or melon plants in hot beds and 



\ 




• 
• 

/ • 


» 







1 




\ 




Fig, 306 — How the paper is folded 



Fig. 307 — A paper flower pot 



368 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

cold frames. Such things do well, but any gardener can make 
paper pots that will serve the purpose still better. Common 
building paper, that can be purchased for a dollar a roll, is excel- 
lent. For three-inch pots cut it into pieces that are nine inches 
square ; for four-inch pots, twelve inches square, and for five-inch 
pots, fifteen inches square. Each piece of paper is now to be 
folded, first along the solid lines (Fig. 306), dividing it into nine 
equal squares. The corner squares made are then pinched up into 
dog's ears and the whole piece is erected into the shape of a box 
with the dog's ears overlapping on opposite sides of the box. The 
ears are secured in place by means of ordinary clips and the box 
is done. A hole punched in the bottom will afford drainage. 
When ready for transplanting the clips are removed from the box 
which is then opened and the mass of earth and roots lifted out 
with no injury whatever to the plant. — 85 



CHAPTER VIII. 
THE HANDY SPORTSMAN 

A PORTABLE AUTOMOBILE HOUSE 

It is the purpose of this article to show how to build an auto- 
mobile house which has the following advantages : It is portable, 
as all sections and other parts are held together with a minimum 
number of bolts and screws. It requires no special skill with 
tools. It is easily set up and taken apart. It is light and suffi- 
ciently strong, and presents a neat and finished appearance. 




Fig. 308— Front view of the automobile house 

The complete bill of materials for the house as shown herewith 
costs $70. To this may be added about $10 for paint. Because 
of its ready portability, it may be set up by the lake shore or in 
the woods and used as a summer cottage. It makes but one easy 
wagon load for two horses. It has no masonry supports, and 
therefore does not revert to the owner of the land on which it is 



3?o 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



placed, but it can be moved whenever moving day comes. The 
open doorway gives almost seven feet clearance, which is sufficient 
to admit an auto with top up. It is large enough for a small 
touring car with room to work all around it, as well as for the 
storage of supplies. With a runabout it gives room for shelves 
and a bench for a convenient workroom at the end. 

The frame is of hemlock, Fig. 310, and measures 15 feet 4 
inches by 9 feet 6 inches by 7 feet 8 inches high. Above the floors 




Fig. 309 — A side view of the portable automobile house 



the frame consists of only four corner posts, the plate frame, two 
pairs of rafters, two tie-pieces — not shown — across from plate 
to plate at the foot of the rafters, all of 2-inch by 3-inch hemlock 
dressed, and four roof boards, % inch by 4 inches. The gable 
sections serve also as rafters. The sills are held together at the 
corners by angle irons 6 inches by 6 inches, 3/16 inch thick and 
1 inch wide, fastened with carriage bolts Y% inch by 2^2 inches, 
Fig. 312. These should fit snugly in the sills, so that the square 
shoulders will prevent turning, and the heads are countersunk 
flush. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



371 



The floor joists rest on straps nailed to the side sills. Two of 
the joists, Fig. 311, are fastened with lighter angle irons to pre- 
vent the sills springing outward. The rest are held in place by 
small cleats. Two mudsills, 2 inches by 3 inches, are laid under 
the joists to stiffen them for the load of the machine. These, as 
well as the whole frame, are blocked up and rest upon boards or 
plank pieces about 8 inches by 12 inches crossed and laid up 




Fig. 310 — The frame of the house 



under the sills at distances of four or five feet. If these supports 
settle by the action of frost, it is a simple matter to level up by 
adding more. 

The corner posts stand on the sills, to be fastened later by 
corner boards, Fig. 312. The plate sticks are halved together at 
the corners, a hole is bored down through their ends into the top 
of the post, and a 24-penny wire spike is pushed into it. The 
plates are also held together by small angle irons at the corners. 



372 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



At this point the frame must be stayed up while the side and roof 
sections are put in place. 

The side panels, Fig. 313, are of matched Georgia pine ceiling 
material, 7/16 inch thick, dressed and beaded one side, cleated 
with ^s-inch dressed pine on the outside as shown, and cleated 
with a strip of the 7/16-inch material on the inside. They cover 
each 3 feet by 7 feet and are all interchangeable except that the 
corner sections are slightly modified to slip under the corner 
boards. 

The window sections are made interchangeable with the rest, 
and the position of the windows may be varied to suit circum- 



f 


<_ j?:*-- 










— ^ 


1 
1 

1 


Iron 




Iron. 




1 




Joists 1 


1 




^.Z'-0-"-> 










2'* 3? 

Joittt 

J- 


-i. —I 


L, 


Sills 


a,nci 


TZoo? 


Jiists. 
J 




J 



+- Sills 



Fig. 311 — The floor of the house 

stances. The bevel on the cleats and on base and eaves boards, 
Fig. 314, aids in excluding the weather. The way in which the 
battens and cleats of the panels interlock to give tightness and 
strength is apparent from details of Fig. 313. Cleats, 2 inches- 
by ]/g inch, are fastened with i^-inch package wire nails, clinched 
on the outside. The inside cleat is fastened with ^g-inch nails 
clinched inside. In general, the nailing is done with nails just 
long enough, so that the sharp points prick through slightly. The 
nail is driven against an iron block, and is readily bent within the 
wood instead of forming a clinch visible outside. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



373 



In the window panel the frame is slotted on the sides to admit 
the battens. This panel is further stiffened inside by a frame of 
^-inch stuff around the window opening. The double casement 
windows are factory made, sash i^-inch thick, and cost $1.50 
per pair or window. They are hung with parliament butts — sep- 
arable — swing inside, and shut against the outside frame about 




Fig 312 — Corner details 



Y% inch. The sill is beveled outside of foot of window sash, 
and a small square bead is run on the sill for them to shut against. 
The windows are rabbeted together with a simple L rabbet, and 
are then fastened inside with small bar bolts top and bottom. 
The front gable section is framed of ^g-inch pine, with the 



374 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



7/16-inch siding nailed to it. The bottom board of this frame 
overhangs the front plate iy 2 inches, and the matched stuff rests 
on top of the plate. This leaves the lower y 2 inch of the plate 
for the doors to shut against. The gable window opening is 
framed around with %-inch stuff outside, and with 7/16-inch 
stuff inside. The gable window sashes are home-made of %-inch 

I 



]<--.■ 3-0"-- 

1 1 11 11 11 1 11 n 11 i'= 



C.±* 



S it 5 



/*?. 



?uZ 



$wm*rt\ i a 



I >fffrft»aLJ <>£ Joints. \ I 




Fig. 313— The side panels 

pine, and are hinged with separable butts to swing up for ventila- 
tion. The rear gable is slightly modified by narrowing up the 
bottom board and beveling it to overhang the plate J4 mcn > anc * 
by fastening a beveled trim board to the plate to retain the panels 
below the plate in the same way, the side panels are held by eaves 
boards. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



375 




Fig. 314 — The base and eaves 



The floor is made in three 
sections strongly cleated un- 
derneath with cleats passing 
two inches beyond the section 
edges to stiffen the joints be- 
tween sections. The floor 
serves to retain the rear 
panels on the sill, but stops 
flush with the front face of 
front sill. 




Bate*, 



Fig. 316 — One of the roof sections 




|H-1 



s-r£ — 

Fig. 315 — The front gable 



-H-i-4 



376 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

The front door is constructed of J^-inch pine. The top boards 
shut against the plate y 2 inch, while the bottom boards shut 
against the ends of the floor. The matched stuff stands between 
the plate and the floor. 

The roof sections have an overhang at the eaves of about 9^ 
inches, and the same overhang at the gable ends. Ten sections 
cover 3 feet by 6 feet 4 inches each, and two sections cover 2 
feet by 6 feet 4 inches. They have each three cleats of the same 
7/16-inch material, the bottom cleat being only one inch wide. 
They are first cleated together (Fig. 316) with the end of a strip 
of unbleached factory cloth under the bottom cleat, which is 
nailed from the outside with all nails well clinched. The cloth is 
smoothed loosely over the section and cut off, and then the face 
of the section is given one or two coats of white lead mixed thin 
with raw oil and turpentine. After this dries the cloth is brought 
over, laid smooth without stretching, and tacked thoroughly at 
top and sides. Then a batten strip is nailed on at the left edge 
to cover the joint, as in the side panels. Care must be taken not 
to stretch the cloth, but to leave it as loose as possible without 
actual wrinkles, as it will shrink in the subsequent painting. The 
finished panel must now be given repeated coats of good paint 
until the cloth is filled and a glossy, weatherproof deck surface 
is formed. On each slope of the roof two roof boards of hard 
pine, 4 inches by % inch by 17 feet, are let into and flush with 
the rafters and gable sections and fastened with long screws. 

After the frame is up, the base boards and eaves boards are 
temporarily tacked in place ; then the panels are put in place from 
the inside, bottom end first; then the base and eaves boards are 
permanently adjusted and fastened to sill and plate with long 
screws. The corner boards are set together with screws and 
then fastened in place with long screws into sill and post and 
plate. The panels next the corner boards are bolted to the 
corner boards at the middle cleat with roundhead stove bolts, 
using washers. The roof sections are held in place by stove 
bolts through the loose edge of the battens and the roof boards, 
and by screws into the plate. The ridge boards, one 4 inches, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 377 

the other 5 inches wide, are beveled and put together with 
long wire nails. They are then put in place and pieces of 
the 7/16-inch siding, 2 feet 9^ inches long, are slipped under the 
ridge boards to level up between the battens, and stove bolts are 
put through the ridge board, understrip, and roof section. This 
fastening adds much to the strength of the roof. Finish boards 
of the 7/16-inch material should be cut and fitted at the gable edge 
of the roof to give a neat appearance. To stiffen the door open- 
ing, brace boards should be put across inside from plate to post 
at the upper corners of the opening. 

In the work of erecting the building no fastenings are to be 
used but bolts and screws, and to facilitate the work, provide two 
bitstocks, one for a screwdrive bit, the other for a proper size 
gimlet. After the house is finished, it should have three coats of 
paint well brushed into the grooves in the beading, etc. The 
inside of the doors should also be painted, since they are fre- 
quently exposed to the weather. 

The panels, and all parts requiring time in the making, can be 
put together in a shop of limited space, and given a coat of 
priming paint before erecting the building. This coat should be 
of white lead and oil, possibly shaded with lampblack ground in 
oil, and thinned well with turpentine, so that it will strike into 
the pitchy surface of Georgia pine. 

The house shown has been in use for a year, and has proved 
both tight and strong, in contradiction to the critics of the plan, 
who thought it would do all sorts of undesirable things under the 
heat and rains of summer. It is most essential that it be well' 
painted before the weather acts upon it, and that it be kept well 
painted. 

LUMBER BILL. 

Side Panels and Roof Panels. — Matched and 
beaded Georgia pine ceiling stuff, 7/16 inch by 
2y 2 inches by 14 feet. Lengths to cover 700 
square feet ; add % for matching 875 square feet 

Sills, Mudsills, and Joists. — Rough hemlock, 2 
sticks 2 inches by 6 inches by 16 feet ; 1 stick 



378 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

2 inches by 6 inches by 20 feet ; 4 sticks 2 
inches by 4 inches by 19 feet ; 2 sticks 2 inches 
by 3 inches by 16 feet 1 19 feet 

Upper Frame. — 2 inches by 3 inches dressed hem- 
lock, posts, 2 sticks 14 feet ; rafters, 2 sticks 
12 feet ; plates, 2 sticks 16 feet ; 2 sticks 20 feet 
( 1 for plate ties) 62 feet 

Floor. — Third quality pine flooring, matched and 
dressed, 16 feet long, cover 180 square feet, 
add % 225 feet 

Framing Boards. — Of same stuff, 8 sticks 4 inches 
by 14 feet, 2 sticks 8 inches by 16 feet ; cleats, 
26 sticks 2% inches by 3 feet ; next to doors, 

1 stick 8 inches by 16 feet ; joist supports, 

2 sticks 2 inches by 14 feet, approximate. ... 150 feet 
Finish Boards. — Second quality pine, % inch 

dressed and ripped, corner boards, 2 sticks 5 
inches by 14 feet, 2 sticks 6 inches by 14 feet; 
base and eaves, 2 sticks 7 inches by 16 feet, 
2 sticks 3^2 inches by 16 feet; base and rear 
plate, 2 sticks 7 inches by 16 feet, 1 stick 2^2 

inches by 12 feet j6 feet 

Roof and Ridge Boards. — Georgia pine, 7/% inch 
dressed, 5 sticks 4 inches by 18 feet, 1 stick 
5 inches by 18 feet ; window sills, white pine 
dressed, 1 stick 2 inches by 3^ inches by 
7 feet 44 feet 

—4 
HOW TO CONVERT A HORSE-DRAWN BUGGY INTO A MOTOR 
BUGGY FOR LESS THAN $300 

By following the directions here given, a horse-drawn buggy 
can be rebuilt at moderate cost into a self-propelled vehicle, 
which, though roughly made, will give good results and prove 
satisfactory. 

The frame is of angle iron, i/ 2 xi^x^ inches, cut 6 inches 
longer than the distance from the front to the rear spring of the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



379 



buggy, and bent cold 3 inches from the ends, as in Fig. 318. 
Triangular pieces should be sawed out where the corners are to 
come, and the bending done little by little. The body hangers or 
spring bars for the front and rear can be made of wood, as indi- 
cated. Drill a ^-inch hole at each end, and fit large-head car- 
riage bolts, with the heads inserted in the wood. About 1J/2 
inches from the edge of the dash (inside) and the same distance 




Fig- 317— Plan and side elevation of the assembled buggy 



3 8o 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



from the rear panel of body, drill ^-inch holes for body bolts, 
and 3 inches from the front and rear of the engine hangers cut 
slots for ^2 -inch bolts. 

The engine and transmission should be placed under the center 
of the seat, to avoid cutting the floor boards. The supports 
should be secured to the angle-iron side members of the frame 
with three y 2 -mch carriage bolts, one on each end and one as 
near the center as the transmission shaft and starting crankshaft 
will allow without striking. The holes in the side members 



JBc Jy licit 



e 



'""■JTrT^/'wc Ao?«M 






^ody Lelt 






B> 



//W 









3^" 



Fig. 318— Angle iron frame with wooden spring bars 



should be slotted to provide for chain adjustment, and made 
large enough to insert the square of the bolts, to prevent them 
from turning when loosened. Power-plant hangers can be bought, 
or may be made as shown in Fig. 319. Holes of ^-inch diameter 
should be drilled in the frame for the steering-post supports 
where the steering wheel will be most convenient, which can be 
determined by trying the wheel in different positions. The dis- 
tance can then be marked off from the inside of the dash. 

The engine should be fastened securely to the engine hangers, 
and the transmission bolted to the fly-wheel or coupling before 
babbitting the transmission bearing. Cut two washers out of 
wood to fit easily over the shaft, making the inner washer in 
two parts, so that it can be fitted around the shaft sffter the 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



381 



hanger is in place. Putty all cracks where there is danger of the 
Babbitt metal running through. Drill one 5/16-inch hole near 
each end of the bearing on top, and one y 2 -mch hole in the center 
for pouring. Build three cones around the holes, the largest one 
around the center hole and about % inch high. Heat the bearing 
until it gets hot, but not red, before pouring. When melting the 
babbitt, put about a teaspoonful of resin in the ladle to make it 
flow better. To tell when the 
babbitt is hot enough, insert a 
perfectly dry stick for a sec- 
ond or two, and if it begins to 
char or to blaze, the metal is 
ready. Continue to pour stea- 
dily until the bearing and 
the pouring hole are full, and 
if the babbitt settles below the 
holes, pour in more while hot. 
As this buggy is driven by 
one rear wheel only, no dif- 
ferential countershaft is 
needed, and only one brake 
drum, drive chain, and set of 
sprockets is required. Driv- 
ing sprockets for the transmis- 
sion shaft and rear wheel can 
be bought from the manufac- 
turers or dealers. To insure 
that the wheel sprocket will be 
concentric with the hub and 
run true, it is advisable, when 
marking out holes for the brake drum, to mark one first, then 
secure the drum to the wheel with one clip, place the wheel on 
the axle, and hold a stick on the axle. Now revolve the wheel 
and shift the drum repeatedly until the stick touches all around. 
Then mark off more holes, two at every fourth spoke (if it is a 
16-spoke wheel) and clamp spring clips to the wheel and revolve 




Fig. 319 — Plan and elevation of 
engine hangers 



382 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



as before until it runs true. Finally, mark off two holes for 
clamps to straddle every second spoke. 

Brake bands, cams, and hanger set can be bought or can be 
made, as shown in Fig. 320. 

Steering rods are secured to the front axle as in the plan view 
and are fitted with turnbuckles. The length of chain passes 
around the rear arc of a sprocket on the lower end of the steering 
post, which should be in the same horizontal plane as the axle. 
The steering wheel and column complete can be bought. 

When setting the spark and throttle controls, it is advisable to 
have them drawn as far to the rear as possible, the spark lever 




Fig. 320 — Expanding brake sleeves and operating rod 



on the right and the throttle lever on the left. Set the commu- 
tator or timer arm backward also (provided, of course, the timing 
shaft turns in the opposite direction from the crankshaft) and 
make the rods of the right lengths to enable you to get the timer 
lever all the way back. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



383 



As the engine shown in the drawing is of the automatic intake 
type, the intake valves will take care of themselves. Turn the 
engine over toward the front until the exhaust valve begins to 
open, as shown by the compression of the valve spring. Continue 
turning until the valve is full open, when a wire inserted through 
the spark-plug hole will show that the piston is at the top of the 
cylinder or at the upper dead center. At this point the flywheel 
will revolve some distance without the piston's moving. Mark 
the wire, and then turn the wheel one more complete revolution 





Fig. 321 — Plan and end view 
of fuel tank 



Fig. 322 — Plan and side 
view of radius rods 



and until the piston descends about 3/16 inch past the dead cen- 
ter. Now set the roller, ball, or other type of contact of the timer 
where it will strike the contact post that is to represent the cylin- 
der you have timed to fire at this point, making sure that the 
roller or ball is striking the contact so that it will continue to 
spark after passing 3/16 inch beyond dead center, as this is a 
vital point. Fasten a double-cylinder spark coil to the inner side 
of the body nearest to the engine, so as to use short wires. 

Throttle lever, rods, etc., should be set backward as the timer 



3^4 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



was. A simple, inexpensive carbureter is advisable, such as a 
Schebler model E, which has only two adjustments to make, one 
for the air and another for the gas. Screw the air adjustment 
screw about half way down, and lock it there. Then adjust the 
gas to give the best results. When the gas throttle is closed, the 
lever on the steering post should be in rearward position, that is, 
toward the driver. 

The gasoline tank should be made to fit between the sills of the 
seat and fastened on the right-hand side, leaving the space over 
the engine open. The tank can be made in any tinshop, of gal- 
vanized iron with strap iron supports, as in Fig. 321. 

A force-feed oiler will give the best results, and can be driven 
by leather or spring-wire belt from a pulley on the crankshaft. 

Radius rods are made from %-inch hexagon stock, turned down 



H 1 ah Ten s i o n 




ffrrows md/cate 

direct/ori 



Batteries 



Ground Wire 

Fig. 323 — Wiring diagram for engine 



as in Fig. 322, and with right and left threads cut on the ends, 
so that they can be lengthened or shortened by turning. 

A two-speed planetary transmission is used, which also has a 
reverse gear. The band nearest the flywheel gives reverse motion, 
and the other is for first or slow speed ahead. High speed is 
controlled by a lever on the side, which, when pushed forward, 
locks all the gears, the transmission turning as a unit, so that 
the drive is direct at the same speed as the engine. First speed 
and reverse are controlled by pedals, which, when pushed forward, 
tighten the friction bands around the drums on the transmission. 
The bands should be free of the drums when the car is not run- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 385 

ning. Otherwise the machine will have a tendency to creep 
forward or backward when the engine is running and the gears 
are not engaged, according to which band is dragging, and the 
bands will wear out rapidly. The pedals are held in plates 
screwed to the floor of the car in front of the seat, and have 
ratchets to hold them in position when set. The brake pedal is 
held in the same way. The footboard must be sawed away to 
receive the plate at just the proper distance from the seat to be 
comfortable in operation, and care must be taken to have the 
pedals come in exact line with the transmission bands, otherwise 
there will be a tendency for the rods to pull the bands sidewise, 
so that they will not hold securely and will wear unduly. 

All the necessary parts and materials for transforming a buggy 
as described, and equipping complete, can be bought ready made 
at a total of $283.57, as itemized herewith : 

1 — 2~cylinder spark coil $14 00 

1 — switch 70 

2 — standard spark plugs 2 68 

1 — 6y 2 x 12-inch muffler 7 50 

5 — dry cell batteries 2 00 

6 — battery connections 20 

6 — secondary copper terminals 15 

6 — primary copper terminals 20 

20 feet primary wire 2 80 

10 feet secondary wire 3 00 

1 — pair side lamps 5 00 

1 — tail lamp 5 00 

1 — set of lamp brackets 3 00 

1 — 43^-inch horn 4 00 

1 — gallon can lubricating oil 1 40 

1 — pound can of cup grease 30 

1 — ^8-inch brass grease cup 26 

1 — oil gun 60 

1— small oil can 30 

1 — box assorted cotter pins 25 

1 — box assorted lock washers 60 



386 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

I— tool kit 8 00 

I — rear wheel brake drum 4 25 

I — ^4 -inch pitch y 2 -'mch wide 60-tooth roller chain 

sprocket 10 20 

I — countershaft sprocket hub 2 oc 

I — ^-inch pitch J^-inch 9-tooth roller chain sprocket .... 50 

6 feet 24~ mcn pitch, ^-inch roller chain, $1.17 per foot. . 7 02 

2 feet i-inch pitch, 5/16-inch block chain 86 

I — i-inch pitch 5/16-inch 6-teeth ^-hole sprocket 36 

1 — 6-horse-power double-opposed air-cooled motor 85 00 

1 — 6-horse-power transmission 32 00 

1 — 4- feed force-feed oiler, pulley and belt 15 00 

J^2 pound oil tubing 60 

3 feet i-inch standard pipe for muffler (8 cents per foot). 

(Add 10 cents for each piece cut and threaded) . . 24 

2 — i-inch malleable elbows 20 

2 — i-inch Street ells 20 

1 — i-inch tee 15 

1 — 1 by 2-inch nipple ic 

I — steering wheel complete (with fittings, turn-buckles, 

tie rods, etc.) 15 00 

1 — set power-plant supports (hangers, pipe, high-speed 

lever, support, bolts, etc.) 18 00 

1 — high-speed lever, finished 75 

I — set radius rods, complete, with axle clips 6 00 

1 — set brake shoes, hangers, rod, yokes, etc., complete. ... 6 00 

1 — pedal plate, transmission rod and yokes 5 00 

1 — frame to fit any body, finished complete 7 00 

1 — starting crank, finished 75 

1 — set spark and throttle control rods, levers, etc 1 25 

1 — pound copper tubing, for gasoline 1 20 

1 — gasoline tank, holding about 3 gallons 2 00 

Bolts and screws at any hardware store. 

$283 57 
—35 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



387 



GETTING HOME WITH A WEAK BATTERY 

When a storage battery is exhausted, no more current can be 
obtained from it until it has been recharged, which should be 
done at once. A dry battery, on the other hand, weakens gradu- 
ally. If one gets out on the road and the engine starts to miss 
after running a few miles, he may get to the next town sometimes 
by slightly adjusting the trembler contacts, sometimes by adjust- 
ing the tremblers themselves to bring them a little closer to the 
magnetic core beneath them, and sometimes by bending the spark- 
plug points a little closer together, so that the spark has a smaller 
gap to jump. If these expedients fail, the pitch may be dug out 
from the tops of the cells, and water poured in until the cells are 
saturated. If salt is at hand, salt water is better. 

THE HANDY MAN'S SPARK PLUG 

The spark plug shown here is equally well adapted for high 
or low tension ignition. It may be made by any handy workman 
from an old mica plug by taking out the steel 
wire down the center and putting in its place a 
piece of brass tubing, 3/16 of an inch outside 
diameter and % of an inch inside diameter. A 
and B are the terminals forming the spark 
gap, C is the mica, and D the threaded body of 
the plug. The upper end of the terminal A 
is riveted to a small valve E, which is pressed 
down by a weak spring and thereby closes the 
upper end' of the tube, as shown in the sketch. 
A valve chamber is screwed on the upper end 
of the tube, thus holding the mica together. 
The valve operates in the chamber, being 
fastened thereon by the screw F. The valve 
and its seat should be ground flat, and then the 
terminal A should be riveted to it. There is 
a small hole G in the cover of the air chamber. 
The cover should be fastened to the chamber 
with a screw or other simple means, so that 




Fig. 324 — Sectional 

view of the spark 

plug 



388 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

It may easily be detached for the purpose of cleaning the valve. In 
use the terminal A vibrates rapidly, like the trembler of a coil, 
and in this way strikes the terminal B. During the compression 
stroke the compressed gases travel up the central tube, lift the 
small valves, and instantly fill the valve chamber to the same pres- 
sure as the cylinder. With the same pressure on both sides of the 
valve, it will be forced down by its spring. But as the gases in the 
chamber C escape through the hole G , the pressures will be thrown 
out of balance, and the valve will again be raised by the pressure in 
the cylinder. This action will continue during the entire compres- 
sion stroke. The hole G should be extremely small, and the amount 
of gas that will escape during compression will not perceptibly 
lessen the power of the engine. It will be clear that as the valve 
is raised, A approaches B and also that A moves away when the 
valve is closed, because the fulcrum is virtually at the screw F. 

As A keeps striking B while it vibrates, the low-tension contact, 
or touch spark, may be used with this plug. This plug gives many 
contacts, and therefore many sparks, instead of the single contact 
given by the usual hammer and anvil. This plug is far simpler 
than the hammer and anvil system, and besides it does not leak 
and lose compression like the latter does when worn. It will work 
with high-tension ignition with a trembler coil. As the terminal 
vibrates, it keeps itself clean, and an excess of oil or soot will not 
affect it like an ordinary plug. If used for high-tension ignition, 
the period of vibration should not be the same as that of the coil 
trembler, or an odd spark will be missed, owing to A being some- 
times in contact with B when the high-tension current is in the 
act of flowing. The terminal A may be made to vibrate as rapidly 
or slowly as desired by strengthening or weakening the valve 
spring. — 70 

SCRAPING CARBON FROM THE PISTON HEADS 

Carbon is deposited in the combustion chambers of all automo- 
bile engines by imperfect combustion of* the cylinder oil and gaso- 
line. Dust from the road, drawn into the engine, adheres to the 
oily surfaces, and adds to the accumulation. On the piston heads, 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



389 



and sometimes elsewhere as well, this deposit in time becomes so 
thick as to be raised to incandescence, so that it causes premature 
ignition of the charge. It may usually be removed from the piston 
head by the use of long scrapers, as illustrated. These scrapers 
are made of 1/4-inch or 5/16-inch soft steel, with the ends flat- 




Fig. 325— How the carbon is scraped from the piston head 



tened in the forge and bent hoe-shaped. By suitably bending the 
shanks and by turning the crank to bring the piston into an access- 
ible position, it is usually possible to detach all the carbon on the 
latter. Kerosene is used to soften the carbon, and a small battery 
lamp connected to a length of cord, aided by a flat dentist's mirror, 
enables the whole interior of the combustion chamber to be 
explored with ease. The material detached is scooped out clean 
with the piston at its highest point. 



39° 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



CLEANING THE SPARK PLUG 

The usual method employed in cleaning spark plugs is to use 
a small brush and gasoline and polish the end of the plug. As 
most plugs are constructed so that it is impossible to thoroughly 
clean the porcelains in that way, it is advisable to take them apart 
and brush every particle of carbon from the porcelain. If the 
carbon is baked on hard use a sharp knife to remove it. Never 
use emery cloth to clean porcelains as that cuts off the glaze and 
then they will absorb enough carbon to destroy their insulating 
qualities. 

STRAIGHTENING AN AUTOMOBILE AXLE 

On light machines much time and expense can often be saved 
by using the following method for straightening a bent axle: 
Place the machine with the axle that is to be straightened directly 
under and parallel to one of the heavy cross-timbers on the second 




Fig. 326— Straightening a bent axle 



floor of the garage. Next take two 4x4 inch timbers and cut 
them just long enough to reach from the top of the axle to the 
under side of the cross-timber. Place one of the timbers on each 
end of the axle and drive a small wedge under each to hold them 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



391 



in place. Now place an ordinary screw jack on the floor directly 
under the bend and apply as much pressure as is necessary to 
spring it back into place. The writer has used this method suc- 
cessfully for over a year and the whole job can be done in fifteen 
minutes. If the axle is very stiff it is a good plan to place a 
piece of band iron between the timber and the axle to prevent 
the timber from splitting. — 53 

TAKING UP THE ENGINE BEARINGS 

Taking up bearings is not properly a job for the amateur. 
Nevertheless, there are times when it is well to know the pro- 
cedure. Crank-pin bearings are frequently fitted with shims A A 
of thin brass or copper (Fig. 327) and a rough adjustment may 
be made by taking out one or two shims on each side, being careful 
to remove the same aggregate thickness from both sides. If it is 
found that taking out the thinnest 
shim leaves the bearing tight, shims 
may be cut from paper to make the 
bearing turn freely. In case there 
are no shims, it is necessary to file 
down the flat surfaces B B of the 
cap. This must be done with great 
care, otherwise one end or one cor- 
ner may be filed too much and the 
cap sprung, or made to bind on the 
crankpin. After filing a little, the 
cap must be bolted on, and the shaft 
turned to ascertain whether enough 
has been taken off. 

The wear of a crankpin is chiefly 

in the top half. The wear of the 

main bearings is in the bottom 

halves, which are usually removable 

caps. It follows that to refit the 

main bearings, the bottom caps are ^. « , . 

, .... . , , Fig. 327— Taking up crank- 

simply raised to bring the shaft up pin bearings 




392 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



against the top halves of the bearings. Fig. 328 shows a crank- 
shaft with both end bearings removed, the crankcase wall and the 
upper bearings being indicated in section, and the lower half of the 
crankcase removed. The shaft is held up by the central cap A, 
and the front bottom cap B is shown in perspective. If the main 
bearings have shims similar to A A, Fig. 327, it is only necessary 
to take out whatever thickness is necessary to make the bearing 




Fig. 328— Tightening the crankshaft bearings 

tight. If there are no shims, the flat faces C C must be filed. A 
bearing taken up in this manner is seldom a first-class job, because 
it rarely results that the shaft has a full bearing all over the sur- 
face. Generally the shaft is out of line, or it is cut, or the bear- 
ing is cut ; and taking up as above described simply enables the car 
to be run a few hundred miles farther, to save putting it in the 
shop at an inconvenient time. 

TEMPORARY REPAIRS TO BROKEN SPRINGS 
A spring is most apt to break in the center, as in Fig. 329. The 
spring clips A A will probably hold it together after a fashion, 
but the ends will sag and put a dangerous strain on the clips. A 
hard-wood board B, from 1 inch to 2 inches thick, should be pro- 
cured, and the sides trimmed down so that it will be about 5 inches 
wide in the center and 2 or 3 inches wide at the ends. Drive nails 
C C in the ends of the board, jack up the frame of the car to take 
the weight off the spring, put the center of the board on the 
rubber bumper D, or, if there is no bumper, on a suitable block 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



393 



of wood, and bind the ends down tightly to the spring with leather 
straps or clothesline. 

In case the breakage is toward one end, a block E, Fig. 330, 
should be nailed to the board over the break. The remainder of 
the operation is substantially as shown in Fig. 329. When clothes- 




Fig. 329— Repairing a spring broken at the center 

line is used, the winding should start at the end of the board, the 
short end of the rope being tied in a single knot, and led along 
the board and covered by the subsequent turns. 

PUTTING ON A NEW CLUTCH LEATHER 

A clutch leather may be cut from a wide piece of leather belting 
of -uniform thickness, usually % inch. If the piece chosen is too 
thick, it will be impossible to release the clutch fully. Take off the 




Fig. 330— Repairing a break at one end of the spring 



old clutch leather, lay it out flat, and use it as a pattern for the 
new leather. (See Fig. 331.) As the leather will stretch some- 
what, it is not essential to have the new leather curve as much 
as the old one. Cut the new leather about V 2 inch short, and 



394 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



punch and countersink holes in its ends for the rivets, whose heads 
should be below the surface of the leather. Soak the new leather 
in water until it is thoroughly soft. Stretch it over the clutch, 
and put temporary rivets in the ends. Mark the central rivet 
hole, remove from the clutch, and punch that hole. Put the leather 
on the clutch again with temporary rivets, and punch and mark 
the remaining holes. When all have been punched and counter- 




Fig. 331 — Putting on a new leather 



sunk, rivet the leather in place. For this purpose it is necessary 
to have a bar whose end diameter is about the diameter of the 
rivet heads. This bar is used as an anvil against the rivet heads. 
Two men are necessary, and the whole job, after the leather has 
been taken out of the water, must be done quickly, else the leather 
will shrink so that it will not go on. 

REL1NING THE BRAKE SHOES 
There is more to the care of the brake shoes than simply keep- 
ing them in proper adjustment. By degrees the materials of the 
friction surfaces wear away, and the toggle or other mechanism 
by which the brakes are expanded or contracted reaches the limit 
of its efficient movement. It then becomes necessary to reline the 
brakes, or to provide new brake shoes, according to the nature 
of the friction material. Usually the brake drum is a steel casting, 






HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



395 



but the shoes may be fiber, cast iron,' bronze, or mixtures of 
asbestos, camel's hair, copper, and the like. It is easy to tell what 
to do when replacements become necessary. The important point 
is to bear in mind that adjustment cannot be indefinitely repeated 
before the brakes become ineffective. 

THE MOTORIST'S ACCIDENT PREVENTER 

An ingenious accident preventer is to be seen in the town of 







■ 




tfjjhjjt*? 






jfeSfcjffc* ' 




IS 1 






I < 19H 






^■o 











Fig. 33 2 — The mirror prevents accidents at the turn 



Woodbridge in Suffolk, England. Attached to the wall at the 
corner of a narrow thoroughfare leading into the Market Place is 
a large mirror. In this mirror it is possible to view the traffic 
coming from either direction, a great advantage to the motor and 
other traffic passing through the market place. This ingenious 



39t> HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

device is growing in favor with the authorities of towns and 
villages with narrow and dangerous thoroughfares. — 83 

WHEN A LOST NUT CANNOT BE REPLACED 

There are various roadside expedients possible when a nut has 
been lost and no duplicate is at hand. Usually as good a plan 
as any is to wind the threads of the bolt tightly with soft iron 
wire, such as stovepipe wire, of which a coil should always be 
carried in the tool locker. The winding should start at the end 
of the bolt, and follow the threads up to the part it is desired to 
retain. The wire is then wound back in a second layer over the 
first, and the ends twisted together. If there is a hole in the bolt 
for a cotter pin, one should be inserted, and the end of the wire 
twisted around it, so that the improvised "nut" cannot screw 
itself off from the bolt. 

HOW TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A ONE-MAN AIRSHIP 

In constructing a small dirigible balloon, the first and most 
essential thing is to make a perfect envelope, which can only be 
had after careful labor. Cotton may be used, but silk makes by 
far the better gas bag. It is three or four times as strong as 
cotton, and will last indefinitely with proper care. 

The silk must first be cut in lengths of from twenty to thirty 
yards, according to the size it is desired to make the envelope. 
Next the silk must be given a thorough bath, in either linseed or 
spar oil, and hung up by one end to dry, so that the oil will run 
to the bottom and dry evenly. The drying process depends on the 
climatic conditions, and I have had it take from one week to five 
months for my silk to dry. The silk must be thoroughly dry 
before cutting and sewing. 

After the silk has been prepared, the next step is to make a 
pattern for a single gore of the gas bag, or for a half or at least 
a quarter of such a gore. 

In drafting and cutting the pattern, great care should be taken 
to see that it is absolutely correct in outline, as if there is the 
slightest irregularity the silk will draw and tear. The edge of 
each gore should be cut on a curve which is laid out in the follow- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 397 

ing manner upon a paper pattern : A strip of paper of the same 
dimensions as a length of the silk is fastened horizontally on a 
wall. A string is then suspended from two tacks placed at each 
end of the strip, midway of its width, and allowed to sag until it 
touches the bottom of the strip. The line thus formed will be the 
desired curve. The only point to remember is that the gores must 
be of the proper width to give the desired circumference at the 
center and that there must be enough margin left to allow for 
overlapping the seams. Once the pattern is obtained the cutting 
is easily accomplished. 

I have found the most economical and reliable one-man airship 
to be one made to the dimensions of my "California Arrow," the 
length of which is three times the diameter, while three and a half 
times would still be a good proportion. The seams should all be 
double stitched. The strips are first sewed together with a plain 
seam about y 2 inch from the edge. The raw edges are then turned 
under about y% inch, and sewed down by a second line of stitch- 
ing 34 inch from the first line, thus forming a lap seam. The 
sewing should be done with good silk. 

About two feet from the bottom center of the envelope, make a 
large neck, or manhole, so the bag can be turned wrong side out 
and varnished. Directly above this manhole, in the top, a 14-inch 
valve may be fitted. Although the valve is merely a matter, of 
personal desire, I do not advise building an airship without one. 
Should the valve be inserted, there must be a cord coming down 
to the manhole, so that it can be used if needed. About four feet 
back of the manhole, put in a small neck about six inches in diam- 
eter, for filling the bag with gas. 

Now the bag being sewed and ready for the coating of varnish, 
take a six-inch brush and after the envelope has been blown full 
of air, so that it will hold its shape, commence at one end and 
paint one or two gores the entire length of the bag. When these 
have been very carefully done, take the next two gores, and so on 
until the entire envelope has had the second coating. After this 
is absolutely dry, turn inside out and do the same thing over. 
These coats of varnish must be put on until the envelope is air 



398 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

tight, and there is no leakage. Be careful to watch the envelope 
when filled with air, as the change in temperature will cause the 
air to expand and is liable to burst the bag, but after watching it 
a day or two, the hours for expansion and contraction will soon be 
learned. 

This envelope should be entirely incased in a linen square mesh 
netting, and never a diamond shape, as there will be no end of 
give with the diamond mesh, and it will be difficult to control 
the airship when in the air. The squares should be about six 
inches, and for a ship the size of the "California Arrow'' there 
should be about sixty suspension cords of alternately 6 and 8 feet 
in length, placed some two and a half feet apart and extending 
the entire length of the frame. There will be two cords on each 
point of the finished netting, one for the top and one for the 
bottom, of the frame. 

The frame, which is about 45 feet long, should be built of 1^/2- 
inch Oregon spruce. It is in the form of an equilateral triangle, 
and it should be braced every three feet with a 1J/2 x J/2 -inch strip, 
the panels thus formed being braced diagonally with piano wire. 

The frame should hang about six feet from the bottom of the 
envelope and should be perfectly adjusted, so that an equal strain 
will come on each suspension cord. 

The propeller should be a two-bladed one, ten feet in diameter, 
with the pitch about equal to the diameter, and a blade width of 
18 inches at the tip. It should be geared to make about 175 revo- 
lutions per minute, which is a peripheral speed of the blades of 
5,498 feet per minute. The longer the blade and the slower the 
speed, the more efficient is the propeller within certain limits. 
The propeller shaft should be made of 16-gage, 1 ^4-inch seamless 
steel tubing. The rudder should contain a surface of 36 square 
feet. 

A 7-horse-power air-cooled motor of about 50 pounds weight is 
sufficient power for this size airship, as the full power of a larger 
engine cannot be used, and for the novice a 7-horse-power engine 
is quite sufficient. The motor should be placed about one-third of 
the distance from the front of the framework and suitably geared 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 399 

to the propeller. A clutch can be fitted if desired, but this is not 
absolutely necessary. The engine should be carefully watched at 
all times, as the success of an airship depends upon the motor. 
The engine should be rigidly inspected each time before going 
in the air, and special attention should be given to its lubrication, 
which must be very thorough. 

During 1907 I made ninety-two starts, returning to the exact 
starting point ninety-one times. On the one trip from which I 
did not return under my own power, the wind came up stronger 
than the thrust of the propeller, and therefore I was helpless, but 
my valve gave me the means of a safe descent. Never go into 
the air when the wind has more power than you have, and you 
will have little or no trouble. An eight-mile-an-hour wind is a 
safe limit, although an experienced operator can operate in a wind 
of from twelve to fifteen miles an hour. Accidents are not neces- 
sary if the operator is sure that everything is in working order 
before he makes an ascension, for when you are once in the air, 
and things go wrong, it is then too late to remedy them and you 
will have to take the consequences. 

Following are the dimensions of the "California Arrow," which 
may be used as a pattern : Length, 52 feet ; diameter, 17 feet, with 
a capacity of 9,000 cubic feet. Made of the best Japanese silk, 
^.oated with linseed oil varnish. Irish linen netting. Frame, equi- 
lateral triangle, 45 feet long by 3 x 3 feet wide, and equipped with 
a Curtiss 7-horse-power motor of 50 pounds weight. Two-blade 
screw propeller, 10 feet in diameter and 10-foot pitch, with 18-inch 
width of blade at tip ; peripheral speed, about 5,000 feet per minute. 
Shaft connected with a countershaft, but no clutch is used. The 
speed is controlled by a rod eight feet long extending forward 
from operator to motor and connected to the throttle. The rudder 
contains 36 square feet of surface. The tiller rope is continuous 
and passes around a pulley in front of the operator. The rudder 
can thus easily be controlled by one hand. One thousand cubic 
feet of gas will lift 65 pounds. The formula for making the gas 
is 1,000 pounds of sulphuric acid, 1,000 pounds of iron, 5,000 
pounds of water, which should generate 3,500 cubic feet of gas. 



4-00 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

After the frame and engine and all connections are finished, 
the airship is ready for its first flight. The airship, of course, is 
supposedly under cover and protected from bad weather while 
waiting for the start. The very last thing to do before leaving 
the aerodrome is to ballast the airship. Mount the frame and 
arrange things so that the center of balance is about 5 feet back 
of the motor. Add or take from the ballast until there is about 
three pounds of ascensive power, and then you are ready for a 
flight. This should be done about fifteen or twenty minutes before 
the time of ascension, so that there will be no delay whatever 
when the minute arrives. After stepping from the frame and 
having the ship anchored, walk around and look carefully over 
everything. The .manhole and inflating neck should be made into 
a safety valve, by taking up several inches and twisting an elastic 
band around several times, so that in case high altitude or heat 
from the sun's rays causes expansion, the bands will blow off 
and give warning before the envelope will rip. 

A large open field is preferable for the trial flight. Two saw 
horses about 4^ feet high will be needed to set the airship on, 
before the flight, so that when starting the engine the propeller 
will not strike the ground. Now the airship, we will say, is in 
the field and you are on the frame with the engine working all 
right. The rudder ropes are free, and everything all ready. You 
should have a drag rope of 100 feet attached to the frame about 
one-third from the back end. This should be carefully laid on 
the ground free from everything, so that when you rise it will 
not become entangled. You take your seat slightly back of the 
center of balance, with the engine running, and when you give 
the signal, the saw horses are knocked out from under the frame, 
and you ascend at an angle of about 10 degrees by stepping back 
a foot x or two upon the frame which you are straddling. You now 
must use your own judgment about your flight, as to how long 
it will be and where you will try to go, but be careful not to turn 
your rudder too quickly. This should be operated by two tiller 
ropes, one in each hand. Move slightly forward for descent, and 
backward for ascent. The spark and throttle control rods run 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



4OI 



back along the frame, and can be operated at all points where you 
stand. In coming down stop the motor about 25 or 30 feet from 
the ground, and have sorne one to catch the frame and save the 
propeller from striking the ground. With proper judgment the 
airship should come back to the exact starting point, even as close 
as one or two feet. After the flight is ended, take the airship back 
to the aerodrome, guy it down carefully, shut ofT the gasoline, 
disconnect the spark, and watch the gas bag for expansion. With 
proper care the airship should stay in that condition indefinitely, 
and be ready for another flight when you so desire. — 81 

HOW TO BUILD A CHANUTE-TYPE GLIDER 

Many forms of glider have been tried, but the one which has 
so far given the most general satisfaction is known as the "Cha- 
nute" type. 

Either bamboo or spruce may be used for the framework, 
although the latter material is the more convenient to work with. 

If spruce is decided upon, the following materials will be 
required : 



7 55 g 55 $32 IQ <5£ a iffS J? 



* xx 


s y* 


/ i 3 




0K 


\ 










t < 


3 




3 A 


1 




6 



FRONT FLEFATION- 




JSIDB MEVATION 

Fig. 333 — Dimensions of the frame 



92 feet 8 inches of spruce 1 inch square in 8 pieces, 11 feet 7 
inches long. 

59 feet of spruce Y^ inch square in 12 pieces, 4 feet 11 inches 



long. 



402 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



57 feet of spruce ^4 mcn square in 12 pieces, 4 feet 9 inches long. 

Also 50 feet of spruce £4 mcn square in 4 pieces 6 feet 7 inches 
long, 4 pieces 3 feet 3^ inches long, and 4 pieces 2 feet 7^2 inches 
long, for framework of rudder. 

3 square feet of sheet iron y% inch thick. 

24^ feet of mild steel rod 3/16 inch diameter. 

11 dozen 3/16-inch nuts. 

Ball of strong twine. 

About $y 2 pounds of steel piano wire, No. 16. 

About 40 yards of unbleached muslin 1 yard wide. 

The- framework should be clamped together, as holes in the 
sticks would seriously weaken the joints. Two suitable forms of 
clamp are shown in Fig. 334. 





Fig. 334 — Clamps for square and round sticks 



To make the clamp for square sticks, cut off a piece 8^4 inches 
long from the 3/16-inch steel rod and thread the ends for a dis- 
tance of one inch, using a 3/16-inch stock and dies. Clamp the 
rod vertically in the vise at exactly 4 inches from one of its ends, 
and bend the projecting 4 inches over at right angles to the rest 
of the rod, using a hammer and making the bend as sharp as 
possible. Treat the other end in the same manner, taking care 
not to injure the thread on the ends. You will thus have bent 
the rod into the form of a letter U with a flat bottom, the sides 
of the U being 4 inches long and ^4 mcn apart. Take a piece of 
the 24 -inch spruce and see that it fits accurately between them. 
Now clamp the U so formed vertically in the vise with its two 
legs projecting exactly 2^ inches above the vise jaws. Bend them 



s» 



'( 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



403 



over at right angles in the same manner as before, and you will 
thus get the form shown in Fig. 334. For the clamp plate C cut 
from the sheet iron a piece 2 T /\. inches long by Y inch wide. 

To make the clamp for round sticks cut from 3/32-inch sheet 
iron a piece 6 J / 2 inches by 5^4 inches, and then trim to the form 
shown in Fig. 335. As bamboo varies considerably in section 
from point to point, it is desirable to make each clamp to suit the 
dimensions of the bamboo at the point which it is to occupy. The 
dimensions given are therefore only approximately correct. The 
method of applying the clamp is shown clearly in Figs. 336 and 
337, the two cross pieces of the T embrace the vertical and hori- 
zontal struts, while the stem portion passes round the long hori- 




St 



ez- 



+> 



-H : ^ 



ezi 



Fig 335 — Lay-out of clamp 
for bamboo 




Fig. 336 — Clamp for bamboo 
sticks 



zontal rod. The clamp should be bent to shape as shown, a piece 
of 1 -inch bamboo being used to mold the circular portions. The 
final adjusting of the clamp should be made when it is placed in 
position. The two flaps of one of the T pieces pass between those 
of the opposite one when bolting the clamp together. 

We are now ready to assemble the frame, which for conveni- 
ence should be made in two sections. 

Take two of the 11-foot 7-inch lengths of spruce (one being 
the upper edge of one side of the frame and the other the lower 
edge diagonally opposite) and mark off on each distances of 4 
feet 7 inches and 9 feet 2 inches from one of the ends. At each 



404 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



of the points so found, and also at the end from which the dis- 
tances were measured, clamp one of the 4-foot 11-inch and 4-foot 
9-inch lengths of spruce in the manner shown in Fig. 334. To 
the free ends of the uprights and cross pieces attach the other two 
1 1 -foot 7-inch lengths in precisely the same manner. A rectangu- 
lar cage or frame 9 feet 2 inches long by 4 feet 9 inches high will 




Fig. 337 — General view of 
main frame 



Fig- 339— Plan view of the 
1 complete frame 



thus be formed, with the free ends of the longitudinal rods pro- 
jecting 2 feet 8 inches from the end. Construct a similar cage 
out of the remaining rods. Place the two portions of the frame 
thus formed together so that the free ends of the longitudinal rods 
overlap, and lash each pair of the free ends together with strong 



Fig* 338— An improvised turnbuckle 



twine, making the framework 21 feet in length, 4 feet 9 inches in 
depth, and 4 feet 11 inches wide. (See Fig. 337.) 

The guy wires necessary to strengthen the frames can now be 
attached. Cut a number of ^4 -inch lengths of small copper tubing. 
Take one of these, pass one end of the piano wire through it and 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 405 

back again, forming a loop ; bend over the free end of the wire 
and snip it off, leaving a small hook on the end to prevent it 
slipping back through the tube (Fig. 334). Pass the loop over 
one of the screw ends of a clamp, and run the wire to the clamp 
diagonally opposite, securing it there in precisely the same manner. 
The wires running diagonally across the frame can be fastened 
to the clamps by passing their ends between one of the sides of 
the clamp and the longitudinal rods in the manner shown in 

Fig. 334- 

It is important that all the wires should be strained to approxi- 
mately the same extent, and, as this requires some little skill to 
accomplish, it may be as well for the beginner to provide means 
for adjusting the tension of the wires after they are placed in 
position. An ordinary bicycle spoke introduced into the length of 
each wire, in the manner shown in Fig. 338, makes a good turn- 
buckle. One end of the divided wire is wrapped around the hub 
end of the spoke, the other end being secured to the spoke by a 
strip of thin sheet steel looped over the spoke nipple, as shown. 
The tension of the wire can then readily be adjusted by turning 
the spoke nipple. 

The frame is now ready to receive the fabric. Three pieces of 
this must be prepared from the muslin, one 21 feet 3 inches by 
about 5 feet 2 inches, and the other two 5 feet 2 inches by 9 feet. 
6 inches. About 40 strips of spruce are required for the ribs. 
They should be about iy 2 by Y\ inches and 5 feet long. Lay the 
ribs on the fabric parallel to each other and spaced at equal inter- 
vals of about one foot. Strips of muslin should now be laid over 
them longitudinally and stitched down to the fabric, thus forming 
a sort of pocket, open at both ends, in which the ribs can slide. 
The large surface with ribs in position can now be laid on the 
upper deck of the frame, .and the ribs lashed to the longitudinal 
rods by their ends at the front edge and at the point where they 
cross the rear portion of the frame. They will thus overhang the 
rear edge by about 1 foot. These overhanging portions are con- 
nected at their extremities by twine or piano wire, round which 
the rear edge of the fabric is lapped and glued. When this is dry 



406 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

the cloth can be strained into position, the front and end edges 
being glued to the main frame. If strong glue is used this should 
prove sufficient fastening, but, if desired, the fabric can be tacked 
to the frame as well, using small tacks. The two other pieces of 
cloth are secured to the lower deck in precisely the same manner, 
a space of about 2 feet being left between them at the center. Two 
pieces of spruce ^4 i ncn by I / / 2 inches should now be laid across 
this space from front to back about 18 inches apart and parallel 
to each other, and lashed to the frame with cord. They form the 
arm rests which support the operator. The glider is now complete 
with the exception of the tail, which is constructed in exactly the 
same manner as the main planes, the two sides, however, being 
covered with cloth in addition to the top and bottom. Its dimen- 
sions are given in Fig. 333. No ribs are required for the tail. 
It is connected to the main planes by the four rectangular rods 
of spruce Y\ inch square. The lower rods are lashed to the front 
and rear edges of the main plane about 2 inches apart, the rods 
being parallel to each other and spaced at equal distances on either 
side of the center of the plane. The other two rods are lashed 
to the rear edge of the upper plane and to the front edge of the 
tail. The tail is further braced to the main body by the piano 
wire in the manner shown in Fig. 333. 

Curved surfaces, although not essential in a glider, can be 
produced in the following manner : Slightly taper the front por- 
tion of each rib for about 1/3 of its length from the front end.' 
If the front ends of the ribs are now lashed to the frame first, 
and the ribs are then pushed slightly forward by their rear ends 
before being fastened to the rear edge of the frame, they will 
assume a parabolic curve. Strong glue should be applied to all 
lashed joints to prevent them from working loose. 

If bamboo is the material selected for the frame the following 
lengths will be required : 

8 pieces, 11 feet 10 inches long. 

12 pieces, 4 feet 11 inches long. 

12 pieces, 4 feet 9 inches long. 

4 pieces, 6 feet 7 inches long. 



L^:;j:* ' ^^- »* « Aa 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



407 



4 pieces, 2 feet 7^ inches long. 

2 pieces, 18 feet long. 

A ground suitable for the practice of gliding must have a gen- 
tle slope of about 1 in io 7 if possible in the direction of the prevail- 
ing wind. If due precautions are taken, there is little danger in 
the art of gliding provided the beginner commences cautiously 
and takes sufficient time to master the balancing of his machine 
before attempting long glides. While learning, it is best to have 
two ropes about 6 feet long attached to the lateral extremities of 
the machine, each rope being held by an assistant. The glider is 
thus prevented from ascending to a dangerous height above the 
ground, while the novice is learning to balance it. At first there is 
a tendency to place the weight of the body too far back, but this 
difficulty is soon overcome. Steering is effected by moving the 
legs. To turn to the right swing both legs in that direction, and 
vice versa. To stop the flight, move the weight of the body back- 
ward and at the same time swing the legs forward. This will 
cause the machine to tilt up in front and settle down. — 87 

AN INEXPENSIVE ICE YACHT ' 

The following description of a junior ice yacht is not taken from 
a published article, or a design suggesting how to make a good 
boat, but is a description of one which has been already made, and 





The mast and gaff rings and detail of the mast head 



proven a marked success. While there were many boats along- 
side, made of all manner of designs and material, from the first- 
class boats designed by experts to the yachts made by the farmer 
boys, from fence rails and ice skates, with a table cloth or bed 



408 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



sheet tor sails, this particular one outclassed them all, for speed 
at any rate. 

The material can be easily procured, in most cases from the 
lumber pile in the back yard or wood shed. But in any case it 
should cost but a few dollars complete. 

The general view of the yacht is shown in Fig. 340, with the 




Fig. 340— General view of the ice yacht 



various parts lettered to correspond with the details on Fig. 341, 
and the plan of boat shown in Fig. 342. 

The backbone A is made from 3 by 4-inch pine, notched where 
shown, for the cross arm or runner plank B and the rudder K. 
The cross arm B is made from 2 by 8-inch timber. Two parallel 
saw cuts are ripped up the ends, 3 inches apart and 2 feet in 
length, one foot of which is cut away as shown. The other foot is 
to give pliability to the boat, should the side runners strike any 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



409 



object when racing. The 2 by j4-' m( ^ recess at either end is to 
fit over the piece marked F, which bears on the upper side of the 




t 1 

f 




TO 






tti 


-» 




r 


- 


?■ 




J 


t- -d-»Jc-4 






I 



W& , 



H 

m 



n 




IP 




TV 



k 



1: 



D 

LJ14 



rr 



runners G. Holes for 34 -inch bolts are bored and drilled through 
each, as indicated. Find the middle of the cross arm, and secure 



4'10 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



it to the backbone with spikes. A notch for the mast, one inch 
deep, is cut in the backbone with a chisel, and a ^J-inch hole is 
bored in the end for the rudder. 




The side frames C are made from hardwood chamfered at one 
end 4^4 inches in one foot. Care must be taken to make them 
right and left, or else cut the notches at the other end, the last 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



411 



thing. These notches must be carefully cut, to escape the free 
ends of the cross arm when they spring. Referring to Fig. 342, 
their location will be seen. Secure the chamfered ends 18 inches 




N 






3l 



-=a 



from the end of the backbone, spreading them 5 feet 8 inches 
apart, on the cross arm B, and nailing them to the 3-inch tongues 
with a single nail driven from the top, and with small toe nailing. 
Holes^ should be bored for the former. The flooring T can be 



412 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

made from almost any kind of boards nailed to the sides C, and 
finished off with railing strips D, I inch square. 

The side runners G are made from 2 l /\. by 234 by 3/16-inch 
angles, though a piece of steel or iron, bent into shape, or even 
an old pair of skates will do. The heel and toe should be rounded 
off at the corners, the bearing edges being sharpened to a 45- 
degree V point. 

The rudder blade K is made from a piece of steel 2 T 4 by 3/16 
or % i ncn thick, served in the same way as the side runners. A 
% -inch hole is drilled as shown, for the jaw of the rudder stem 
H. The stem H had better be made by a blacksmith, from ^-inch 
round iron, flattened arid split at the lower end to take the runner 
K. Two small holes are drilled a little above the jaw, for 3/16- 
inch bolts, to connect the wooden block J, which is in two parts, 
and nailed together when in position, as clearly shown assembled in 
Fig. 340. A block of wood E, 1 34 by 4 by 1 1 inches long, tapered 
at the ends, is secured in position over the rudder stem, and 
the small plate / screwed down before the tiller L is put on. 

The tiller is made from a ^-inch round iron, flattened at the 
end, and provided with a square hole, to fit the end of the rudder 
stem H. The other end can be wrapped with string or cloth to 
make it comfortable for the hands. Eight screw-eyes M, shown in 
Figs. 340 and 342 can be used to fasten the free ends of the ropes. 

Fig. 343 shows the spars and plan of sails. The latter can be 
laid out on the floor of a room, using the corner to get the right 
angle necessary. The jib O is a right-angled triangle, having 
complementary angles of 30 and 60 degrees, but it will be well to 
lay out the sail by using the sides, 3 feet 9 inches and 6 feet 6. 
The mainsail N is laid out in the same manner, by using the corner 
of the room to obtain the right angle, and stepping back from the 
wall ioy 2 inches and 2 feet 3 inches, to obtain the intersecting 
points. Allowance must be made for turning over, and eyelets can 
be worked in, about 12 inches apart. The sails can be made 
from ordinary sail cloth, linen, or, as in this case, of linen floor 
covering ; care being taken to get the seams as shown, or the sail 
will not hane well. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 413 

The gaff P and the jib-boom Q can be made from dowel sticks 
or light curtain poles. A rope can be used in place of the jib- 
boom if desired. The main-boom R can be a pine stick, about 
iy 2 inches in diameter by 8 feet in length. Make the mast from 
spruce or yellow pine, 2y 2 inches diameter at the heel, tapered at 
the top to about 1% inches. The heel is to be shaped to fit the 
2.y 2 by 1 3/2 -inch mortise in the backbone A. With a pair of wire 
nippers and pliers, the mast hoops and sail rings can be made 
from copper wire. Holes should be bored in the ends of the 
booms and gaff for a ring, as illustrated. 

Five small sheaves or blocks, with screw attachment, are con- 
nected at various points, marked U in Figs. 340 and 342, for the 
sheets and halyards, the free ends of which can be fastened to 
screw-eyes. Holes can be bored through the masthead for these 
ropes, as shown in the sketch, instead of using blocks, although 
the latter will give more satisfaction. 

The shrouds and stay for the mast are fastened to the latter, 
about 1 foot from the top, and drawn through the screw-eyes 
when the mast is set up. The mainsail and jib are drawn up by 
ropes passing over sheaves or blocks U , and fastened to cleats, 
or else screw-eyes, on both sides of the lower end of the mast. 
About 65 feet of rope will be necessary all told, which should be 
of the finest quality for the mast shrouds and jib-stay. The pen- 
nant can be attached either to the head of the mast or at the end 
of the gaff P. 

When sailing on smooth ice, the runners should be set to a 
sharp edge, but when the ice is soft, the edges need to be dulled 
a little. The mainsail need seldom be swung out of line too 
much, and great care should be taken when sailing before the 
wind. It will be well to take a few lessons before venturing out on 
too large a sheet of ice. 

While it is a nice thing to be able to sail an ice yacht, it is a 
useful, and often necessary, accomplishment to know how to stop 
one. The boat should be thrown up into the wind, i. e., turned 
around to face the direction of wind, and the rudder turned at 
right angles to the side runners G. When turning around to ga 



4'14 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

in an opposite direction, a firmer hold should be taken, to avoid 
accident ; it being no unusual sight to see a novice flung out of 
the cockpit at a tangent, and skimmed across the ice on all 
fours. — 3 

HOW TO BUILD A SCOOTER 

The rudderless amphibious ice yacht called the "scooter" is 
a product of the sailors of the Great South Bay, Long Island. 
In former years, when the bay would freeze over solid, the regular 
ice yacht was a very familiar sight. Recently, however, the mild 
winters produced so little ice fit or safe for sailing that the sport 
almost died out. The conditions caused by these winters have 
been met successfully in that new and ingenious type of ice boat, 
the scooter. Roughly, the scooter is a Barnegat "sneak box" 
mounted on runners. 

This craft will sail in the water as well as on ice, consequently 
the sailor does not fear soft ice or air-holes, but sails merrily 
along taking ice or water, whichever happens to be in his course. 
It is sailed without a rudder by simply trimming the sails and 
shifting position in the boat so that the point of contact of the 
rockered runner upon the ice is just under the center of effort 
of the sails. A single occupant sailing the boat sits about amid- 
ships, and holding the jib sheet in his hand pulls in or slacks out 
until the boat heads just as desired. When two are in the boat 
they spread their weight about an equal distance from the center ; 
one shifts as required, while the other tends the sails. 

A pole with a spike and a hoe is carried, a slight scratch of the 
former being sufficient to get the boat on her course, while the 
latter is used to pull the boat out of the water in case the wind 
dies out. An oar is also carried to steer while in the water, but 
this is not necessary when crossing an air-hole less than forty or 
fifty feet, as the speed of the scooter, with a good wind, is suf- 
ficient to carry her across and out on the ice again in jig time. 
This ability to pop in and out of the water constitutes a novel 
sensation and makes scootering a very fascinating sport. 

Notwithstanding appearances to the contrary, the scooter is a 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 415 

very speedy little craft and can make 30 miles an hour in a good 
steady breeze, running up to over 50 in a heavy puff. 

The cost of a scooter is between $100 and $125, but it could 
be built at home by an amateur for about $50. 

The scooter shown in the accompanying plans is 14 feet in 
length and 4 feet beam. The sail area may be from 80 to 130 
square feet, according to speed required and local weather con- 
ditions. The sail area in the plan is 114 feet and should make 
a good average rig. The construction is fairly heavy, making a 
serviceable boat. For pure racing it could be lightened consider- 
ably. Study the plans carefully before beginning work. 

The first step in constructiog the boat is getting out the side 
planks and spring them around ''molds," which are simply tem- 
porary forms, to hold the elemental construction in place until 
it can stand alone and keep the boat in shape. The inner side 
planks are of J^-inch white pine and of the dimensions shown in 
Fig. 344 at A. The molds are next made, of %-inch pine, and 
dimensioned according to Fig. A. The curves are arcs of circles 
and care should be taken to get the sides perfectly plumb, or else 
they will throw a twist in the side planks, and the upper edges 
will not lie in the same plane. The transom is %-inch oak and 
the stem of oak, size as shown in Fig. B. It has a double rabbet, 
the inner for the inside plank and the other for the outer or cov- 
ering plank. Screw the side planks to the stem and spring them 
around the molds and screw to transom. The molds are spaced 
2, 4, 7, 10, and 12 feet from the stem head. This gives the rough 
form. Put the boat upside down on three saw horses and spring 
on the oak keel, which is 4 inches wide and $/% inch thick. This 
makes a fair line for the frames, which are next put in. Make 
them of oak 1% inch thick and V/2, inch deep, increased to about 
2 inches along the center line of bottom in cockpit. They are spaced 
10 inches on centers. Beginning, start the spacing 5 feet from the 
bow and 3 feet from the stern in order to come right for the cock- 
pit opening. Then turn the boat over and put in the deck beams 
by the same method. They are 1*4 by ij^-inch spruce spaced 10 
inches and fastened to the side and ribs by oak braces Y\ by 4 



4'i6 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



rtG.A 



3'-,U 



3 1 DC PL AM ft ^ 



\j-1AKE JNMER ED&E. M'wiDE.* ToaJlow f* 




HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



417 



3-t'A- 



t'~3 




r*nf> 



•*F^ 




plan of the scooter 



*4- 



4'l8 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

inches, securely screwed together. Fig. C shows 
this clearly. A sill or stringer of i t /a by I ^4-inch 
,y*J spruce is run along cockpit side and a backing piece 

at the forward end is put in to take the curve of 
cockpit coaming. Posts are put in at the places 
marked P, to bind the deck and bottom together. 
The mast step is now put in. It is of oak, 2 inches 
deep and 5 inches wide, jogged over and x / 2 inch into 
four frames and securely fastened thereto. A back- 
ing piece of oak i 1 /a by 8 inches wide is also put 
in between two deck beams to take the strain of the 
mast. Now turn the boat bottom up and proceed to 
£ plank her. The planking is of white cedar y 2 inch 
g thick laid in straight strips 4 inches wide. It is 

2 fastened to the frames with either brass screws or 
£ 1 ^2-inch galvanized nails countersunk and puttied, 
•g The bottom is then carefully planed and sand- 
a papered smooth, the seams calked with two threads 
'35 of candle wicking and the whole given three coats of 
a good lead paint. The runners are next put on, and 

3 with these be very careful. See that they are ab- 
solutely parallel and of the correct rocker and bevel. 

7 The distance between centers of runners should be 2 
£ feet. They are of oak and shaped as shown in Fig. 
345. The runner commences 3 feet from the bow 
and runs aft 8 T / 2 feet. It is 2 inches deep amid- 
ships and reaches up at the ends. The middle 6 
feet of the runner should have a rocker which is the 
arc of a circle with ^4 -inch curve in 6 feet. Re- 
ferring to Fig. F, the outer edge of the oak stands 
plumb and is 2 inches wide at planking, tapering 
to 1 inch at face. The runner plank is fastened on 
with y± by 4-inch iron bolts set up on top of every 
»** frame. Carefully face up the runners by laying a 

straight edge across them both and fitting a bevel 
board. The bevel of the runners is iVa inch in 6 



X 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



419 







4^0 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

inches or about uy 2 cleg. Put on the shoes, which are of y by i- 
inch steel and 7 feet long. Bend them at ends so there will be no 
undue strain upon the screws, which are 1% inch, No. 10 size. 
The screws should be countersunk until they are flush with the 
runners, and their slots lie fore and aft. The steel shoe should be 
very smooth, with sharp, square edges. 

Now turn the boat right side up and start finishing up the deck 
and cockpit. An oak partner piece y 2 by 5 inches is laid on center 
line of deck. A 3-inch hole is bored for the mast /\}/ 2 feet from 
the bow. The bowsprit is next put in. This is of spruce, of the 
dimensions shown, and fastened with three bolts as indicated in 
the plan. 

The deck is now laid. This is of ^-inch white pine or cedar 
laid in about 4-inch strips fastened and treated same as the bot- 
tom. Next the cockpit coaming is sprung in. It is of oak scant y 2 
inch thick, 4 inches wide, and stands 2 inches above deck. Fasten 
to stringer with i^>-inch No. 10 brass screws countersunk and 
plugged with oak plugs. Lay a light flooring of pine in the cock- 
pit in 2^ -inch strips J / 2 inch apart. 

Now plane up the edges of the bottom and deck flush with the 
inner side plank and then put on the outer side plank. This is 
of %-inch oak and comes flush with the deck and bottom. It is 
also carried around the transom, thus covering up the raw edges 
of the ends. 

Now for the rig. All spars should be of straight-grained 
spruce. Mast ioy 2 feet from step to truck, 9 feet 8 inches above 
deck, and 9 feet 3 inches from deck to center of band at top. To 
be 1 24-inch at head, 2.y> inches at gaff, and 3 inches at deck. 
Make all the spars with a swell or barrel taper. Boom 14 feet, 
1^4 inch at ends, 2 inches along middle. Gaff 6 feet 2 inches, 
iy 2 inch at ends, 1^4 inch in center. Jibboom 8 feet 2 inches, and 
about iy 2 inch tapering to 1*4 inch at ends. Fit wooden jaws to 
gaff and boom and use six mast hoops. A sliding rig is neater, 
but would cost a little more. Use a single Y± -inch wire shroud 
with turnbuckles, the chain plate of steel ^4 by 1 by 7 inches long, 
to be fastened with rivets through the side planks. Eight small 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



421 



2^-inch bronze yacht blocks are needed and can be obtained from 
a yacht chandler. Rigging to be of ^g-inch rope. The sails 
should be of about No. 4 yacht duck. The mainsail to be fitted 
for two reefs, the first taking off 22 inches and the second 24 
inches. Have a permanent forestay and put the jib on with snap 
hooks. For reefing, get two extra jibs as shown in sail plan and 
set them with a small sprit, if necessary. 

The boat may be finished all over with three ' coats of spar 
varnish or painted white with buff-colored decks and varnished 
cockpit and coaming, which makes a very good finish. — 50 
A SIMPLE METHOD OF TAKING SPILINGS 

A good device for taking spilings may be made by taking a thin 
batten marked A Y\ inch thick and 4 inches wide, 12 or 15 feet in 
length or more. Make a ruler ribbon the same length, y§ inch 
thick and V 2 inch wide. Next take some brass wire II or 12 




Fig. 347 — A device for taking spilings 



gage, cut about fourteen pieces into lengths about 7 inches long, 
bend one end at sharp right angles, which will just go through 
the ruler ribbons marked B and can be riveted with a small ham- 
mer so that it will not draw out. The other end is bent into a 
small eye, which is closed around a small screw. The screw has; 
a groove filed around to receive the wire. It is best made out of a 



4'22 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



screw hook, the hook «being cut off, and just above the groove 
you have filed, flatten and drive on a small knob, which makes a 
thumb-screw like that illustrated. In manipulating the device, lay 
the batten on the boat frames so that it lies free and natural 
and take about three little clamps to hold it there. The ruler rib- 
bon is engaged with the bottom edge of sheer strake and its entire 
length is easily held in place by connecting rods and thumb screws. 
This is very quickly and accurately done. The whole thing is re- 
moved, placed on a flat cedar board, and is quickly outlined along 
the ruler ribbon with a pencil. This gives an accurate joint for 
your plank. The usual way of determining the sweep of the plank 
is by laying on the thin batten and measuring distances along the 
edge of the sheer strake with dividers or a foot rule, which is a little 
complicated, not nearly as accurate, and considerably slower. — 6 

FORGING A MAST HEAD OR BOOM RING 

On account of the severe strains to which the lugs on a mast- 
head are subjected, they and the ring are usually made from one 

and the same piece of iron, in- 
stead of the former being 
welded on after the ring is 
made. The ring is made in 
two halves, the iron being cut 
sufficiently long to make two 
lugs, and go half way round 
the masthead or ends of main 
or jib boom. The comparative 
length of the iron is given in 
Fig. 348 at 1. The diameter 
of the bands, of course, varies, 
and the section of iron used is 
in proportion. The position 
of the lugs is marked out, and 
the bar heated and bent into 
shape (2), the ends being 
forging of a masthead shaped for welding, when the 




HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



423 



two halves are brought together, to form the circle. The lugs 
are closed and welded on the next heat (3). At 4 is shown the 
half band, a similar one being made in the same manner. The 
holes for the wire ropes are countersunk on both sides, and are 
made at the roots of the lugs, close up to the bands. They are 
flattened out when being welded, their depth being a little more 
than the depth of the band, to give more metal in the direction of 
the pull. 

To give >a smooth surface on the inside of the band, a piece of 
metal called a "fish" is welded in the "gutters" formed at the roots 
of the lugs. These several details are shown at 5. The two halves 
are next welded, as shown in the completed band (6). The out- 
side edges of the band, top and bottom, are rounded off, and all 
sharp corners on the lugs removed, to prevent any accidental wear 
on the ropes. The top of the mast or ends of the booms are cut 
down to a shoulder, the thickness of the bands in width, and the 
bands driven on. — 3 

TO INSTALL A MOTOR IN A SMALL BOAT 

Small marine engines can be bought so reasonably now that 
many owners of small craft, skiffs, and canoes would install an 




Fig. 349— Shaft bearing for a small boat 



engine were it not for the trouble and expense of putting on a skag 
and shaft log. An easy way to overcome this difficulty is shown 
in the diagram. It has been tried by the writer, and is a success. 



4 '24 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



A shaft bearing is made of iron, in the form of a Y, and 
fastened to the stern of the boat to support the shaft. A longer 
piece is fastened to this and to the bottom of the boat to protect 
the propeller. A projection of this in the rear will carry the rud- 
der. A small shaft log is fitted inside the boat, with the stuffing 
box on the inside, which can easily be packed from the inside 
without removing the boat from the water. — 75 

SIMPLE SUPPORT FOR BICYCLE 

A very convenient device which may be attached to the side of 
a house or any other support, to hold a bicycle, is shown in the 
accompanying drawing. It consists of a gate hinge with one 

leaf secured to a block. The 
block is nailed to the side of 
the house. The other leaf of 
the hinge, which should be a 
very long one, is bent over at 
the end to form a hook. This 
is caught over the upper hori- 
zontal bar of the bicycle 
frame. The bicycle wheels 
are placed close to the house, 
so that the upper part leans 
outward, and is held from 
falling by engagement with 
the hook. 

HANDY METHOD FOR REPAIRING A PUNCTURED TIRE 
The accompanying sketch shows a handy device for mending 
punctures in bicycle tires. It consists of a common darning needle 
of a large size and with a large eye, with its point inserted into a 
wooden handle. There are two pins also in the handle, projecting 
from opposite sides, and the top of the needle is cut off, leaving 
the end of the eye open. 

To mend a puncture, stretch elastic rubber bands over the pins 
and through the slot in the end of the needle as tightly as possible 
until judgment shows that there is enough rubber to fill the punc- 




Fig* 35°— Simple support for bicycles 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



425 



ture. Then insert needle and rubber through puncture in tire, 
throw the rubber off the pins and withdraw the needle. The rub- 
ber being tightly stretched will contract when released, filling the 
puncture and leaving a small lump inside and outside of tire. This 




Fig. 35 1 — A tool for repairing punctures 

will wear off outside in a very short time. It is advisable to ream 
the hole smooth before applying the rubber. This can be done by 
heating the needle with a match and then searing the edges of 
the hole. — 49 

BICYCLE COASTING SLED 

The accompanying drawing and photograph illustrate a new 
type of coasting sled built on the bicycle principle. This coaster 
is simple and easy to make. It is constructed of a good quality 
of pine. The pieces marked 5* are single, and should be about 1 




Fig. 352 — Construction of the sled 



by 1 y 2 inches ; the pieces marked D are double or in duplicate, 
and should be about y 2 by i J / 2 inches. The runners are shod with 
iron and are pivoted to the uprights as shown, double pieces being 
secured to the uprights to make a fork. The seat is a board, to 



4'26 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



the underside of which is a block, which drops down between the 
two top slats and is secured with a pin. A footrest R is provided, 
consisting of a short crosspiece secured to the front of frame and 




Fig. 353— Bicycle type of sled 



resting on the two lower slats. The frame and front fork are 
hinged together with four short eyebolts E with a short bolt 
through each pair as shown. — 20 

COASTING SKATES 

There are more ways than one of enjoying an icy hill. The 
accompanying illustrations show a pair of coasting skates. These 
skates can be well made by any amateur at little or no expense. 

The base 1 is of hard wood and is 20 inches long. It is 3 inches 
wide at the middle, and tapers to 1 inch at either end. It is i}4 
inch thick and dressed off on the under side, as clearly shown at 
20, leaving a flat section % inch wide along the center line. The 
front end is curved upward, and a strap of iron or thin steel 2 
is fitted to the flat section and serves as a runner. The ends of 
the runner are turned over upon the top of the base and held by 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



427 



screws. No screws are necessary in the bottom. In use the ball 
of the foot rests at a point approximately midway in the length of 
the skate. A stiff strap, 3, preferably of metal and designed to 
fit over the toe of the shoe, is screwed or otherwise secured to the 
base at this point. This strap may be wrapped with padding if 
desired, but if properly shaped the padding is not necessary. A 
U-shaped iron as 4 is fixed to the base as shown, so as to prevent 
sidewise movement of the heel. 




go, 

Fig. 354 — Coasting skates 



It will be appreciated that these skates may be readily removed 
from the feet after a coast down hill, and as readily readjusted at 
the top of the hill. To facilitate the use of the skates, a guide 
rope 5 is used. The opposite ends of this rope are secured to eyes, 
one in each of the skates at the forward end. When coasting, the 
rope is grasped in one or both hands, and held taut from the eyes. 

— 33 

TWO WAYS OF IMPROVING A SLED 

The accompanying illustrations show how an ordinary sled may 
be converted into a dirigible sled, and how it may be combined 
with a boy's hand car to make a motor sled. 



4'28 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



THE DIRIGIBLE SLED. 

Unlike the ordinary sled, that is steered by digging in the heels, 
or dragging the feet in the snow, from one side to the other, there- 
by checking the speed of the sled, the sled here shown has flexible 
runners, which may be curved to one side or the other by a steer- 
ing bar, causing the runners to follow smoothly in the curving 

;'.''V: 




Fig. 355— A dirigible sled 



tracks. The sled should be built'low and narrow, and the runners 
should extend well forward and rearward, which will materially 
add to the speed of the sled when coasting down a hill. 

Fig. 355 shows an ordinary girl's sled, which is made into 
a flexible or dirigible sled. The top part of the runners, shown 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



429 



in dotted lines, is cut off on a level with the seat and the ends are 
fastened together with a transverse bar a, made of iron or wood. 
From this bar, and fastened thereto, are bars b, one on each side 
of the seat and parallel therewith. These bars are fastened to all 
the standards of the sled. On the front bar is fastened a steering 
lever c, which is fulcrumed by the rearwardly-extending arms a 
to the front part of the seat of the sled. It is now evident that 




Fig. 356 — The hand-motor sled 



when the operator wishes to steer to the right, he presses the lever 
with the left foot, and vice versa. As the steering lever is thus 
moved, it will be noticed that it moves the transverse bar to one 
side or the other, thereby curving the runners in the same direc- 
tion, which will then follow smoothly in the curved tracks. 

It will be noticed from the plan view that the end standard 
is bolted to the seat of the sled, and that the other two standards 



430 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

are not, so as to allow a free movement of the runners when op- 
erated upon by the steering lever. 

Two pieces of wood should be fastened under the seat, a short 
distance each side of the forward standard, to allow for side 
movement. 

The old iron shoes on the wood runners should be taken Off 
and curved or hollowed as shown or may be replaced by new 
ones. By referring to Fig. 357, it will be seen how this curv- 
ing of the shoe may be accomplished. A shallow groove is made 
in a block of hard wood, over which the thin steel shoe is placed. 
A short piece of round iron is laid on the shoe top ; the latter is 
then hammered into the groove, assuming the hollowed or con- 
cave form. 

Rivet the shoe on the runner, which should be hollowed out a 
little to fit. The object of the concave form of runners is the same 
as that of hollow ground skates. The outside edges have a ten- 
dency to dig into the ice or snow, and keep the sled in its course, 
or in "the same rut" ; but when thrown out of line with the steer- 
ing lever, they seem to take hold of the snow and change the 
course of the sled. 

THE HAND-MOTOR SLED 

The motor sled, which should appeal to almost any boy, is 
made by combining a flexible sled with an ordinary hand car, 
such as sold by toy dealers. The rear wheels are taken off and 
substituted for a pair of traction wheels, which may be thrown 
in or out of commission by a suitable lever, within the reach of the 
operator. 

The sled may be of any steerable kind now on the market, or it 
can easily be built by almost any amateur, to suit the hand car to 
be used. The material may be bought from almost any hardware 
dealer. The runners are made for an ordinary size sled, from 
y 2 -inch by ^-inch T iron or steel, or they may be made from two 
angle irons riveted together. The base of the T should be bent 
or curved downward, so as to make it slightly dished out in the 
center. This can be done as before described. 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



431 



The runners are now ready to be bent to suit the height of the 
sled. There may be two or more standards, according to the 
length of the sled. They can be made of angle iron, riveted to 
the runners, and fastened to transverse bars of wood at the top, 
and braced together if found necessary, so as to make them stiff. 

To these standards are fastened, one on each side, and directly 




Fig. 357 — Details of the motor sled 



on top of each respective runner, wooden rails e. These rails are 
fastened together with transverse bars f, at the front and rear 
ends. Directly over the rear standard, and journaled into the out- 
side rails e, is a crankshaft g, provided with suitable handles h. 
At the front end, and directly over the front axle, the steering 
lever is fulcrumed, and two extending arms fastened thereto, 
which are connected with the front bar / by a bolt passing through 
slots in the arms. , 



432 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

The sled is now ready to receive the hand-car, which is placed 
in the center of the same. The front end is fastened to the out- 
side rails c with a long bolt, forming a hinge for the car. 

Long bolts with nuts at their lower ends are now passed 
through the frame of the car into the rear transverse bar, also 
into the rear standard. Two pieces of wood may be nailed or 
screwed to the rear standard, forming a guide for the up-and- 
down movement of the car. 

It will now be seen that by moving the handle h to the rear, 
the crank g will lift the rear end of the hand car relatively to the 
sled, thereby elevating the traction-wheels from contact with the 
ice or snow. It will also be seen that the handle b will rest on top 
of the standard, and that the crank g has passed the center of 
the shaft, and is consequently locked in this position. 

The traction wheels are made of hard wood. First cut out a 
disk (see Fig. 357) about the same size as the wheels of the car. 
Then cut a number of radial slits in the periphery of same, into 
which are inserted small galvanized-iron buckets, and riveted 
thereto. Small round disks are now fastened to either side of 
the large disk, so as to make the proper length of the hub. Into 
these small disks are made four elongated recesses, to fit the four 
outward-extending prongs of the fixed collars on the shaft, and 
when screwed together with the nut on the outer end thereof, 
Avill keep the large disk fast on the shaft, and will rotate with 
the same. 

The sled may be propelled by operating the handle h, and 
steered by means of the foot-lever, like the sled described above. 

It will be possible to propel the sled up a hill, or go a round- 
about way to get there. Then by throwing the lever h, the traction 
wheels may be elevated above the runners, so they will not inter- 
fere with coasting down hill. — 5 

REDUCING THE RANGE OF A RIFLE 

The country has recently been flooded with old model Spring- 
field rifles. While these are very fine guns, they have too long a 
range for use in a thickly-populated region. As the writer could 



(I 

1 ' ' ' 'U 




HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 433 

not use a rifle that carried over two hundred yards, he reduced the 
range by the following method : 

Taking an empty regulation shell, 0.45 caliber, the head was 
bored out so that a 0.44 caliber revolver cartridge would fit snugly. 
Then the head of the regulation shell was turned out, so that the 



Revolver 
Cap 

Fig. 358 — Reducing the range of a rifle 

head of the revolver cartridge would be flush, as shown in accom- 
panying sketch. The writer is using these cartridges up to a 
hundred yards with good results. — 57 

ANOTHER METHOD OF REDUCING THE RANGE OF A 
SPRINGFIELD RIFLE 

First pull out the ounce ball that comes in the loaded shells. 
Then clean out the powder, and reload with 20 grains if black 
powder is used. Cover this with a tight-fitting wad. Then fill the 
shell with fine sawdust, coarse cornmeal, or something of that 
nature. Next force in a round ball of 44 caliber with a patch of 
strong cloth that is thick enough to make a snug fit. The benefit 
of the patch is that it prevents leading of the rifling. The govern- 
ment loading tool crimps the shell at the muzzle. This crimp must 
be taken out before reloading the shell. The sawdust and wad 
clean the gun at every firing. — 41 



CHAPTER IX. 
MODEL TOY FLYING MACHINES 

A SIMPLE MONOPLANE 

As it now has been proven beyond doubt that the flying machine 
is no longer a thing of the imagination, but has come to stay as 
a fixture for future Wrights, Bleriots and Curtisses to improve 
upon and make it a thing of commercial use, so now is the time 
to think of the flying machine as a source of instruction to the 
young folks as a toy or model. 

We already have numerous small models on the market which 
will fly after a good deal of experimenting, coaxing and altera- 
tions, but as a source of pleasure are absolutely out of reason 
with the young folks. 

Small machines can be made by anyone familiar with the prin- 
ciple of flight, and having made several small aeroplanes, two 
of which were very successful, I will endeavor to explain how 
I made them, so that anyone interested can make a small aeroplane 
that will fly. 

There are several successful types of aeroplanes, but for models 
or toys two have proved most satisfactory, the monoplane and 
the biplane. Although I made one triplane, which was fairly 
successful, I still think the monoplane or biplane more satisfac- 
tory. Which of the two is the better must be left to the option of 
the intending maker. As in the real flyers, both have their advo- 
cates, and both types are successful in flying. We have the re- 
cent flight across the English Channel of Bleriot and the endur- 
ance trials of Latham for the monoplane, and the very successful 
demonstrations of the Wright brothers for the biplane, but, as a 
question of construction for the young beginner, I think the mono- , 
plane is the simpler and more easily made. 

Personally, my first small real flyer was a monoplane ; it was a 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



435 



very simple flyer and took but a few hours to make. To be sure, 
I had to do a good deal of experimenting so as to make it fly in 
a given course, regardless of the direction of the wind. I had 
always been very fond of kite flying, and it was only the thought 
of being ridiculed that kept me away from kites. Now, here was 
a chance to try something new. I came to the conclusion that I 
could make a monoplane to use as a kite without much trouble. 

I first procured a piece of straight-grained whitewood, 12 
inches long and %. inch square, smoothed it down until it was 




Fig. 359 — Details of the monoplane flying machine 



straight and true. To this stick I nailed two small blocks 1^2 
inches long, 1 inch wide and Y\ inch thick, to form the body of 
my aeroplane. (See Fig. 359.) Then I took some round ^g-inch 
rattan, and after soaking it a short time in hot water to make it 
more pliable, I bent it to the shape of the main plane. The ends of 
the rattan, where they meet in the center, were fastened together 
by a small piece of very thin tin 1 y 2 inches long and y 2 inch wide, 
rolled it into a sort of tube. The tube was slipped over the ends of 
the rattan and two pins were driven through the tin and rattan, 
fastening it to the body of the aeroplane. 



436 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

Over this rattan frame I spread white silk, cut very carefully 
to the proper size, allowing 3/16 inch for turning it over Jhe 
rattan, and sewed the silk on with a fine hemstitch. The rattan 
Avas very soft and still very damp, which would leave the silk in 
a wrinkled and drawn condition. To overcome this I squared 
my corners as nearly as the rattan would allow me and fastened 
the plane to a flat board with broad thumb tacks, leaving it to 
dry thoroughly. When it was perfectly dry, the few remaining 
wrinkles were ironed out and the plane was perfect. 

Next, I secured some stiff wire, such as is used by milliners, 
bent it to the shape of the two horizontal and vertical rudders, 
and covered it with silk, allowing % lap. The silk was glued on 
with thin diluted fish glue. The vertical rudder was stiffened by 
covering it with a coat of diluted glue on both sides, then the whole 
was set aside to dry. The rudders were fastened at the rear of 
the areoplane, the two horizontal rudders to serve as rear planes 
and at the same time to control the up and down motion, and the 
vertical rudder to guide the motion left or right. 

The aeroplane was now complete, and it took but a few trials to 
ascertain the proper place to fasten the string to make it soar 
like a kite. It would go up in the air without any difficulty, and 
remain steady, no matter how hard the wind blew. It made a very 
pretty effect when up in the air, giving no trouble, such as aw 
ordinary kite would, and when one gave a steady downward pull, 
as in winding up the cord, it would circle around, the circles grow- 
ing smaller and smaller as the aeroplane came down to the grouiwd. 

To convert it into a power-driven machine, I bought some rubber 
strands, 1/16 inch square and about 1 yard long. A small hook 
was screwed into the block at the end of the body and a small hole 
through the block at the front. 

The latter was faced with a piece of tin. A piece of wire form- 
ing a loop hook at one end was passed through the front block 
and formed the propeller shaft. The propeller was made like the 
rudder, of silk stitched over a wire frame. It was a two-bladed 
affair and was given three coats of glue, making it very stiff. 
The rubber strands were now fastened together at the ends and 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



437 



looped over the two hooks. The rubber was then twisted by 
turning the propeller in the opposite direction to that in which the 
propeller should turn to make the aeroplane go forward; then 
when the propeller was released, the rubber strands untwisted, 
making the propeller revolve in the right direction to force the 
aeroplane forward through the air. 

The aeroplane was now a finished flyer, and for the first trial 




Fig. 360— A model monoplane flying machine 



I twisted the rubber strands about 50 turns, released the pro- 
peller, and watched it fly away from me. Needless to say it almost 
V smashed itself against the house, but after a few trials the proper 
Vadjustment for the rear planes and rudder was found, the toy 
flew easily from 100 to 150 feet in any direction, and at a height 
of about eight feet or more. By bending the rear planes up and 
down the elevation of the aeroplane could be varied, and the ver- 
tical rudder was used to make it go to the left or right. 



438 HANDY MANS WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

If everything is made as described, and the main plane exactly 
centered on the body, the forward end slightly raised by a small 
block 1 inch long, and tapering from y 2 inch high at the front end 
to 3/16 inch at the rear, fastened at a. point near the front end of 
the body, there will be no need of a balancing weight to make the 
machine stay right side up. — 93 

DIVIDED MONOPLANE 

Among various toy monoplanes on the market is one with a 
divided main plane, designed to rise from the ground after running 
along on three wheels until it has gathered sufficient momentum. 
A rubber tube is used, in place of rubber strands, to propel it, for 
the reason, probably, that it does not take so many turns to get 
enough power to run the machine. While rubber strands take 
more turns when winding up, they give more power to the pro- 
peller, even after being more than half spent, because of their 
greater elasticity. 

Although the design may be criticised because of its heavy con- 
struction and the fact that the main plane is divided, the details of 
the machine are given herewith for the amateur to improve upon 
or experiment with. By closing the gap between the plane with 
very light silk I got a flight of over ico feet before I made any 
other adjustments. I also found that by using a lighter body frame 
and a larger propeller I could get greater nights, though no higher 
than five feet from the ground. 

The body of this aeroplane is constructed of wood, as shown 
in Fig. 361. The front brace measures 11 inches long, y 2 inch 
wide and 3/16 inch thick, the rear brace 7^ inches long, ]/ 2 inch 
wide and 3/16 inch thick, and the three bamboo sticks 15, 16 and 
17 inches long by 34 mcn thick. To support the planes, an 
umbrella rib is used, while the wheel support and propeller guard 
are made of stiff wire. After making the braces, bore a hole 34 
inch diameter in the front brace at y> inch from one end and 
another hole 8 inches from the same end. Bore % inch hole in 
the rear brace as well, J / 2 inch from end, and also one in the center ; 
then bore another 34 inch diameter hole on a slight slant 24 mcn 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



439 



below the center hole. These holes are for the bamboo sticks. 
Take the 16-inch bamboo stick and insert it into the upper hole 
(8 inches from the end) of the front brace, and into the center 
hole of rear brace. Should the fit be too loose, take a few turns 
of paper around the sticks and force them into the holes, using 
fish glue if necessary to hold them firmly. Now take the 17-inch 
stick and insert it into the lower ends of both front and rear brace. 
The stick will have a slight curve, which will be found necessary, 



FULL LENGTH 
F^PROPELLER 
INCHES 




, BAMBOO 
€"4.0N6 X /a HOLLOV*" 
THROUGH WHICH M/ffE 
6f?ACE I 5 BUN, JO HOLD 
WHEELS IN PLACE, 



WOO.OE/W WHEEL. 
PtA. /& THICK 



Fig. 361 — Construction of the monoplane with divided front plane 



for without this curve one cannot use the rear wheel as a means 
of support for the aeroplane while rolling along the ground in 
starting. Put the 15-inch stick into the hole below center of the 
rear brace and you now have the body complete. 

Before proceeding any further, look around for an old useless 
umbrella and take out a rod not less than 28 inches long. If 
longer cut it to size with a pair of cutting pliers, and carefully open 
up the rod where the pliers pinched it together in cutting. Cut 
also two pieces of 11^2 and two pieces Sy 2 inches long; then two 
pieces of silk 12x9 inches for the front planes and 10x9 inches 



4'40 HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

for the rear plane; the extra y 2 inch allows for all seams, which 
should be sewed with finest hemstitch possible. 

After the silk has been sewn as directed, fasten the center of 
the 28-inch rod to the front brace and over this slip one of the 
large planes at one end, sew it into position, then take the 1 iy 2 -inch 
length and insert in the opposite end ; do the same with the other 
side and you have your main plane finished. Now take the small 
Sy 2 xgy 2 -inch plane and at each end insert the 8^2 -inch rod, 
which is the width of the rear plane, fasten it to the extreme end 
of the 15-inch rod. Get what is termed cable cord (any other 
strong cord will do just as well) and run it from right end of the 
main plane to the right end of the rear plane and back to the oppo- 
site or left end of the main plane. Do the same with the other 
main plane and you have completed (except for the power 
mechanism) the aeroplane. 

To make the propeller, take a rod 7 inches long, drill a small 
hole through the exact center and flatten the rod at each end for 
about y 2 inch. Then take stiff tin and cut out two 2 x 3-inch 
blades for the propeller. At 1^2 inches from the end of the blade 
cut a slot to receive the end of the rod which is bent over and 
hammered down. Bore two small holes near the inner end of the 
blade end for a piece of copper wire, which is looped over the rod 
to secure the blade. Run a stiff piece of wire through the hole in 
the center of the rod and fasten it. This is the propeller shaft. 
Pass the wire through a piece of bamboo iy 2 inches long, then 
insert an ordinary glass bead and small copper washer. The bead 
and washer will act as a ball thrust bearing when the rubber is 
twisted to give power. The wire shaft is then passed through a 
hole at the center of the front brace and bent to form a hook. 

Another piece of stiff wire is bent to form a crank handle and 
is threaded through a bead and washer, after which it is passed 
through the small hole bored at 2 inches from the lower end of 
rear brace, and a hook is formed on the inner end. The rubber 
tube is now looped over the two hooks. 

For the wheels, almost any circular article will do. Large i-inch 
buttons can be used to good advantage, or any small and light 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



44'I 



wheels from some broken toy. Make the axle of wire, inserted 
through a piece of bamboo 6 inches long. Bend the wire as 
shown in the photograph and fasten the wire to the front brace. 
To brace the wheel, tie the axle in the position shown. At the 
extreme end of the rear plane fasten another wheel, and the 
aeroplane is complete, as shown in Fig. 362. 

To make the aeroplane fly, turn the handle (holding the pro- 
peller at the same time) about 50 to 75 times if rubber strands 




Fig. 362 — A monoplane with divided front plane 

are used, and if tube is used about 20 to 30 times are enough for 
the first trial, release the propeller after having placed the aero- 
plane in position on the ground, and it will then fly, if everything 
is adjusted properly. 

A good help in experimenting will be to bore a small hole a 
little below the handle and insert a small wire to act as a stop. 
Such a stop may also be used to a good advantage for the pro- 
peller. The guiding plane at the top of the aeroplane is made 
from silk 3 inches wide and 32 inches long, and it is used to help 



442 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



keep the aeroplane on a straight course. It also may be done 
away with entirely, as it is not absolutely necessary. After a few 
trials the maker will know just what proper adjustments are 




Fig. 363 — A monoplane model in flight 



necessary for the best results. Fig. 363 shows one of these toys 
in flight. An excellent view of one of these machines is also to 
be seen in our frontispiece. — 93. 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 443 

"WRIGHT" BIPLANE 

One of the finest looking little aeroplanes that has as yet been 
offered by toy dealers is almost an exact duplicate in miniature of 
the "Wright" flying machine. It will fly from 20 to 40 feet, accord- 
ing to the skill of the operator in launching it into the air. One 
must master the knack of sending it out into the air properly 
before he can hope for any great length of flights, and he will 
find it at first a very awkward proposition. 

The motive power is a wooden propeller mounted on a wooden 
shaft 24 inches long and }i of an inch diameter, which fits into 
a hollow handle. This handle is the launching gear. Near the 
end of the shaft, about 1^4 inches from the end, is a small hole 
through which a string is threaded; the propeller is then turned 
until the string is wound upon the shaft, and then, when ready to 
fly, the cord is given a long, steady, and yet swift pull. This 
revolves the propeller with great rapidity and forces the aeroplane 
into the air. After a few trials, to determine the force necessary 
to launch the little flyer, one can become quite expert in the knack 
of making it go. 

In this little flyer there is a great deal of room for experiment- 
ing, as it is of the lightest construction, and yet is strong enough 
to withstand those hard knocks it is subject to receive when land- 
ing. For instance, one can alter it very slightly to have it driven 
by rubber strand power. It would simply be necessary to brace 
it with a small % or ^4 -inch rattan stick, running from the front 
to rear, then attach the propeller to rubber strands and twist them, 
as is done with the other types. I did this with one and got flights 
of from 60 to 100 feet without any trouble. 

The construction of this aeroplane is very simple and at the 
same time strong, The materials used are rattan, silk, and small, 
very thin pieces of brass. 

For the main planes, take ^-inch rattan and cut four pieces 23 
inches long, and twenty-four pieces 3 inches long. Out of very 
thin light brass cut the corner braces to the shape indicated at A, 
in Fig. 364. Bend them at right angles, along the dotted line, so 



4*44 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



as to form three-way braces, as seen at the corners of the aero- 
plane in Figs. 365 and 366. Eight of these corner braces will be 
enough to make the main planes. The brace is wrapped around the 
meeting ends of the rattan. First make two oblong planes out of 





1 
1 




* 




















\ 





















fi 





/ \ 








c 



nv. 



■#-&: — ^ 



Kj>^ 




(U 



") 




Fig. 364 — Details of the biplane 

the four 23-inch strips and four of the 3-inch strips and cover 
them with silk. Fasten the two planes together at corners with 
3-inch lengths. If the corner braces were properly made you will 
find at each corner two little pieces of brass for the end struts. 
Fasten by bending the brass around the strut. Put in the first 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



44*5 



brace 5 inches from the end of the plane. To do this, cut out of 
light brass 16 small holders of the form shown at B (Fig. 364). 
This makes a four-way holder. Place the cross-shaped piece of 
brass against a longitudinal strip along the ..dotted line and bend 
the brass around the rattan tightly. This leaves two pieces for the 



3"- 



RATTAN STICK 
OftA$$ COMER 8RACES 



/*AiN-PLAN€$ 



RUDDER /?x3 
SHAFT RUNS WHOLE LENGTH 
WA5HER 



FftONt PL.AN& 
2 "X 3 " 




WOODEN 

PROPELLEFt 

2"XQ U 



-3- 
Fig. 365 — Dimensions of the biplane flying machine 



vertical and horizontal 3-inch lengths. The two frames are simi- 
larly braced at 10 inches from each end. 

To make the front planes (2 by 9 inches) take two pieces of rat- 
tan gy 2 inches long, and at each end fasten a two-way holder, made 
from a piece of brass cut as at C (Fig. 364). The rattan will 
then take the shape of the front plane shown. After having fast- 



446 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



ened the rattan firmly, cut a piece of silk to the proper shape and 
sew it in position. Make the bottom plane in the same way. At- 
3 inches from the end put in the struts, as in the main plane, 
except that the small piece of rattan across the front plane will be 
but 2 inches long. Put in another set of struts at 3 inches from 




Fig. 366— The toy "Wright" biplane 



the first set. Now fasten in place at each end the remaining strut 
shown in Fig. 365, and the front planes are finished. To fasten 
the front planes to the main planes, take four pieces of rattan, 
6 inches long, and connect each end to the main plane, and to the 
- front plane, so that they cross each other, as at D (Fig. 364). 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 447 

The center 3-inch section of the main plane should be opposite 
the 3-inch section of the front planes. 

For the rudder, take a piece of rattan 4^ inches long and 
another piece 3 inches long. Bend the longer piece and fasten 
it to the 3-inch piece with a three-way brass holder. The frame 
will take the shape of the capital letter D. Cut two pieces of 
rattan iy 2 inches long and, after making the second D-frame, 
fasten them as shown in Fig. 365, and sew on the silk. This done, 
cut two more pieces of rattan 5 inches long, fasten them to the 
front end of the main plane frame, so that they will pass over the 
rear end of the frame, and extend 2 inches beyond. To these 
two pieces of rattan fasten the rudder with a two-way holder. Of 
course, the rudder is absolutely in the center of the aeroplane. 

To make the propeller, take a small wooden disk % inch 
diameter and ]/ 2 inch thick, make the edge absolutely smooth and 
flat, in the exact center bore a hole Y% inch scant, then cut in a 
slanting direction from one edge to the other a small saw cut 
about 3/32 inch deep and reaching from edge to edge ^4 inch. 
The two cuts must be exactly opposite each other, and exactly 
in the same direction, for this is the hub of the propeller, and the 
cuts are to hold the two blades. Take a piece of ^-inch thick 
whitewood and mark out the shape of the blades, which should 
be 2 inches wide at the top, ^ inch a t the bottom and 4 inches 
long. Make the top slightly rounded, as indicated at E, (Fig. 
364), and cut them out carefully. Sharpen the edges and sand- 
paper them until they are as smooth as glass, then glue them on 
the saw-cuts in the hub. For the shaft, get a piece of very straight 
doweling, ^ inch diameter and 2 feet long, sandpaper it smoothly 
and fasten the propeller at one end with a small screw, so it can 
be taken off the shaft whenever desired. Bore with a gimlet a 
small hole about ij4 inches from the end, opposite the propeller. 
Procure an iron washer with a ^-inch hole, and force it out to the 
shaft about 3 inches — this is to serve as a bearing against the 
handle that is used as the launching gear. To fasten the shaft and 
propeller, cut from thin brass two holders shaped like F (Fig. 
364) . Cut a hole a little larger than Y% inch through the center. 



4'48 HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 

Fasten one of these braces to the lower end of the rudder, just 
above the curve, and the other brace at a point between the upper 
and lower frame of the front planes. 

The launching handle is a piece of round wood i J / 2 or 2 inches 
in diameter and 3 inches long. Bore a hole through the center 
from end to end. This hole should be about 7/16 or y 2 inch in 
diameter. Enough play should be given to let the shaft revolve 
very freely. After the hole is bored, take a small scroll saw and 
cut lengthways along the handle, starting from a point about y 2 
inch from the end, make a sort of long, oval cut, coming back to 
the starting place, as indicated at G (Fig. 364). One end should 
be rounded so that it will not hurt the hand when in use. Around 
the other end loop a piece of strong, stiff wire ; make the ends 
long enough, so that when the shaft is inserted into the handle 
the ends of the wire come under the main planes. By looking at 
Fig. 365 one can clearly see how the handle and wire are used 
when ready to launch the aeroplane. 

To complete the aeroplane, take the propeller off the shaft and 
inserting the shaft through the shaft braces at the rudder and 
front planes, then fasten the propeller on the shaft at the front. 

To manipulate this little aeroplane, hold it by the handle, and 
see that the wire rests are underneath the machine, then take a 
piece of strong cord about a yard long and, by turning the pro- 
pellers in a reverse direction, wind up the cord on the shaft; the 
cord will all be contained inside the handle (if the handle is cut 
as described). Pull the cord steadily and hard, and the propeller 
will revolve with great speed, and when a sufficient momentum is 
gathered the machine will glide away into the air. 

It will take quite a few trials before flights of any length can 
be obtained, but with patience and a little experimenting as to the 
best positions to hold the aeroplane, one will be surprised at the 
results he can obtain with this little flyer. — 93 

TWE AEROPLANE KITE 

One of the cheaper variety of toy aeroplanes is made to resemble 
the biplane, and is used as a kite. It has a very simple construe- 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



449 



tion and will give good satisfaction in flight, if rising into the 
air at the end of a string can be called flight. It will rise in the 
slightest breeze, and if properly adjusted, so as to let the wind 
strike the planes at an angle, will need no balance to keep it from 
"dodging" around as a tailless kite would. With the kite there is 
furnished a small bag of sand weighing about 3 or 4 ounces. This 
is tied to a long string and serves, in case of necessity, as a "tail" 
or balance in high winds. 

To construct/ cut four sticks 25 inches long, y± inch wide and 
f/s inch thick, and four 28 inches long, y% inch thick, % inch wide. 



UPRIGHT 
S/i/'tOMC-faTHlCKi 




FRONT PLAt 
7"LON& 5"HIGHy 



MAIN PLANES 25' LONGj 
7" WIDE 5 "HIGH 



Fig. 367 — Details of the aeroplane kite 



Get some ^-inch round dowling and cut thirteen pieces 5 inches 
long. Take the four 25-inch sticks and bore a ^g-inch hole y 2 inch 
from each end. In two of the sticks bore another 3^ -inch hole 
1 1 inches from each end. These two sticks form the rear edges of 
the main planes. Now, in the other two 25-inch sticks bore two 
more ^-inch holes 10^2 inches from each end. Cut from some 
good, light quality muslin two planes, 7 by 25 inches. Glue the 
cloth to the sticks with a good fish glue, being careful to get the 
sticks exactly at the edge of the cloth. While the main planes are 
drying, make the front planes. Cut four small sticks 7 inches 
long, of the same width and thickness as the other sticks, then 



450 



HANDY MAN'S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



bore 



i-inch hole V 2 inch from each end. Take some more of 



the muslin and cut the front planes 5 inches wide and 7 inches 
long, gluing them to the frame sticks. Now, take the four 25-inch 
sticks, and at each end bore a ^-inch hole. Bore another hole in 
each stick 5 inches from one end. These sets of holes serve to 
receive the 5-inch upright struts. Now, again bore another 
}i -inch hole 6 inches from the last hole bored, and still another 
7 inches from the last, and the parts are ready to be assembled. 
First, take the front planes, and after having inserted the four 




Fig. 368 — An aeroplane kite 



5-inch upright struts in the holes, take the four 28-inch sticks, 
and at the ends where the holes are 5 inches apart, insert the 
5-inch uprights, the cloth of the planes being cut to let the upright 
come through the 7-inch sticks into the 28-inch sticks. The two 
main planes are similarly connected with 5-inch struts, the four 
center ones passing through the 28-inch pieces as well. The latter 
pass between the planes, as shown in Fig. 367. The rudder frame 

Cut a piece of muslin 4 



sticks will come together at the rear 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 45 1 

inches wide and 5 inches long. Fold it lengthwise and sew it 
together at each short end, leaving the 5-inch edge open. This 
forms a sort of a pocket, which is to be slipped over the rear end 
of the 28-inch sticks and sewed in position to form the rudder. 
The forward side of the pocket should be left open, and it serves 
to steady the aero-kite in the wind, at the same time serves as a 
drag to make it fly front end first. 

To fly this kite, fasten a loose loop just a little in front of the 
main planes. The exact position must be found by experiment, as 
each kite has its own peculiarities. To this loop fasten the kite 
string and proceed as with any ordinary kite. — 93 

N. B. — We are indebted to John Wanamaker, New York, for 
the use of the models described and illustrated in the four fore- 
going articles. 

A NOVEL MONOPLANE MODEL 

The model monoplane, illustrated herewith, was designed and 
built by Mr. Jas. K. Dalkranian, of Weehawken Heights, N. J. 
It is 'the most successful model of this type of machine that has 
been flown at the meetings of the Aeronautic Society. When 
started from the gallery in the great banquet hall in the club house 
of the Automobile Club of America — at a height of about 20 feet — 
it would frequently travel the entire length of the hall — 100 feet — 
with perfect stability. 

The body of this model consists of a rectangular frame 43^ 
inches long by 2^ inches wide. About 6 inches back of the front 
edge of the frame and 4 inches above it the main plane, 31^ by 7 
inches in size, is placed. It is mounted upon V-shaped verticals 
that extend down to a keel 10 inches below the body. An oval 
horizontal rudder, 8^2 by a^/a inches in size, is pivoted out in front 
of the center of the panel. This rudder can be set horizontal at 
the start while the model is running along the floor. A strip 
releases and allows a spring to turn it upward slightly when the 
machine has attained speed enough to soar. 

The tail is placed about 6 inches from the rear end of the main 
frame. Its dimensions are 1^/2 by 6 inches. The V-shaped surface 



452 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 




< 

I 

ON 

CO 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 453 

below it extends downward 4 inches and has a projected surface 
of 10 by 6 inches. The corresponding V in front extends down- 
ward about 6 inches and has a projected surface of 15 by 7 inches. 
The vertical rudder is 8 inches high by 4 inches wide. It has a 
surface of about 20 square inches. 

The motive power consists of a single rubber tube having its 
two ends joined so as to form a band 18 inches long, which is 
stretched to about 2 feet. This tube is about % of an inch thick 
and Y% of an inch in diameter. It is stretched upon two rubber- 
covered hooks. The hook at the rear is securely fastened in the 
block, forming one end of the elastic frame, while the one at the 
front passes through a tube in the forward block and carries the 
front propeller, which, of course, is secured to it. The tube 
through which it passes is secured to the front block of the elastic 
frame and carries the rear propeller. To wind up the elastic, hold 
one propeller and turn the other. The propellers are 13^4 inches 
in diameter. The blades have a projected width at the tips of 2 
inches, while their real width is 2 3/16 inches. They are % inch 
thick at the hub. The pitch of these propellers is about 18 inches. 
Each propeller makes about fifty turns, and the machine travels 
100 feet. 

The machine is mounted upon skids 29 inches long and 10 inches 
apart. These are split at the ends, the light halves having wheels. 
Ordinarily the weight can be supported on the wheels, but when 
the machine strikes ground the split ends give and the main skids 
take the shock. There are also elastic braces from the body to the 
skids, and a number of strong guys running to the keel. 

THE "DIABOLO" FLYING MACHINE 

Some ingenious Frenchman has conceived the idea of modern- 
izing the game of "Diabolo" to the extent of using a toy aeroplane 
instead of the top or double cone. The scheme is illustrated in 
Fig. 370, which clearly shows the construction of the apparatus. 
The body of the aeroplane is a wooden stick, which is curved 
upward by means of a bow string. A bird's head at one end of 
the stick gives weight to the forward part of the aeroplane, and 



454 



HANDY MAN S WORKSHOP AND LABORATORY 



also provides an attractive headpiece for the device. The device 
is of the divided monoplane type, the main plane consisting of two 
sails attached to a pair of steel wire stretchers. The forward 




Fig* 37°— The " Diabolo " flying machine 



hAndy man's workshop and laboratory 455 

stretcher is tied to the head of the aeroplane, while the rear 
stretcher is connected to the forward corners of the rear sail 
planes by means of four light cords. A light metal crosspiece 
is secured to the rear end of the machine, and to this crosspiece 
the rear plane is made fast. The forward end of the rear plane 
is tied down to the body stick, giving the sail planes a concave or 
dished set, which tends to direct the machine upward when it is 
launched in the air. A large wire hook is attached to the prow 
of the machine, and the device is slung into the air after the 
manner of the "Diabolo" by means of a cord caught under the 
hook and fastened to two light sticks that are held in the hand. 
The hook is quite open, so that it will readily clearthe string when 
the aeroplane is slung off. The game consists of throwing the 
device in the air and catching it again on the string as it returns, 
only to throw it up again. The device describes a very graceful 
curve in the air, and may be thrown to a height of sixty feet or 
more. It makes a very fascinating game, and requires consider- 
able dexterity to catch the aeroplane on the string as it is falling to 
earth. 



INDEX 



PAGE 

A 

Accident preventer, the mo- 
torist's 395 

Aeroplane, kite 448 

Aeroplanes, model, toy 434 

Airship, one-man, how to con- 
struct 396 

Air thermometer, home-made. 189 
Alternating current, experi- 
ments with, using direct 

current motor . 306 

Alternating current motor, 

home built 263 

Aluminium and gold solder... 152 
Aluminium, how to solder.... 153 

Aluminium solders 150 

Anchoring work to be sol- 
dered no 

Anemometer, electrical 192 

Anti-freezing outside faucet. . 362 
Appelbaum's compositions.... 138 

Augers, gage for 90 

Automobile axle, straighten- 
ing 390 

Automobile house, portable. . 369 
Automobile, to convert buggy 

into 378 

Autotransformer 283 

Axle, bent, straightening 390 

B 

Babbitting, how to support a 

shaft when 101 

Bag, tool, boiler maker's.... 76 



PAGE 

Ball, turning of 105 

Balloon, dirigible, how to con- 
struct 396 

Barometer, home-made 184 

Barometers, scale for 188 

Batteries, electrolytic recti- 
fier for 283 

Battery, dry, how to make. . . 261 

Battery, dry, restoring 262 

Battery, storage, without 

chemicals 258 

Battery, voltaic, handy form 

of 261 

Battery, weak, getting home 

with 387 

Bearings, engine, taking up. . 391 
Bell circuits, transformer for. 279 
Belting, substitute for leather. 90 

Bench hook , 13 

Bicycle coasting sled 425 

Bicycle, gyroscope made from 195 

Biplane, "Wright" 443 

Bismuth solder 129 

Bismuth solders, mold for... 132 

Blast, continuous 113 

Blow pipe 114 

Blow pipe, home-made 121 

Blue roses 210 

Boat, to install motor in 423 

Boiler, cast iron, how to mend 341 
Boiler, hydraulic test for.... 174 

Boiler maker's tool bag 76 

Boiler, method of patching... 174 
Boilers and radiators, cast 

iron, mending 342 



INDEX 



457 



PAGE 

Boilers, patch for. 340 

Book rest, or music stand. .. . 314 
Boom ring, or mast head.... 422 

Bottle, cracked, mending 355 

Bottle, heat retaining 334 

Brake shoes, relining 394 

Brass solder 137 

Brick, to drill through 94 

Broiling pan, double bottomed 339 

Broken screw, to replace 82 

Broken springs, temporary 

repairs to 392 

Bronze aluminium, a solder 

for 152 

Buckled castings, straighten- 
ing 175 

Buggy, to convert into motor 

buggy 37$ 

Bushings for locomotive cyl- 
inder, boring 170 

Butt joint, nailing a 83 



Cabinet, a corner 15 

Cam groove, cutting with a 

lathe 158 

Carbon disulphide, some ex- 
periments with 206 

Carbon, scraping from the 

piston heads 388 

Carpenter's clamp 51 

Carpet stretcher, an improved 326 
Castings, buckled, straighten- 
ing 175 

Cellars, flooded, ejector for 

draining 358 

Center of a shaft, method of 

finding 101 

Centering work under a mill. 167 
Centers of round work, device 

for finding 100 



Chanute-type glider, how to 

build 401 

Chemical experiment with io- 
dine 214 

Chemical perfume, home- 
made 211 

Chemical puzzles 203 

Chest, a shoulder 18 

Chuck with spring-actuated 

collet 159 

Clamp, a quick 55 

Clamp, carpenter's 51 

Clamp, clothes-pin ( . 64 

Clamp, saw 55 

Clamp, saw, an improved 57 

Clamps, two handy 52 

Cliche alloys 134 

Clinching a nail 84 

Clock mechanism for opening 

furnace drafts 345 

Clock springs, device for 

punching holes in 98 

Closet, convenient hanger for. 325 
Clothespin on the handy man's 

workbench 64 

Clutch leather, putting on a 

new 393 

Coasting skates 426 

Coasting sled, bicycle 425 

Coffee pot, electric. > 338 

Coil, a simple medical 250 

Coil spring, another method 

of making 70 

Coil spring, spaced, how to 

wind 69 

Coils, machine for winding. . . 256 

Compass, a clothespin 64 

Cooker, fireless, an electrical. 330 
Cooker, fireless, cheaply con- 
structed 328 

Cork, simple method of pull- 
ing 351 

Corner cabinet 15 



458 



INDEX 



PAGE 

Crank-pin bearings, taking up. 391 
Crankpin turning device.... 168 
Crankshaft bearings, tighten- 
ing 392 

Crate, tabouret made from... 316 
Curves traced by elastic pen- 
dulum 196 

Curves traced by rotagon ap- 
paratus 219 

Cylinder bushings, boring. ... 170 



D'Arcet's metal 130 

Decorations from paper pulp. 321 

Desk or drawing table 20 

Detector, a simple wireless 

telegraph 294 

Detector, electrolytic 296 

Detector, magnetic, construc- 
tion of 300 

"Diabolo" flying machine 453 

Die sinker, cutting keyways on 165 
Die, thread cutting without.. . 68 
Direct current motor, experi- 
ments with alternating 

current 306 

Dirigible balloon, how to con- 
struct 396 

Distilling fresh water from 

sea water 180 

Dog for lathe, correct shape. . 161 

Dog, handy planing 63 

Dog, lathe, as a pipe wrench. . 74 
Dovetail joint, self-locking.., 81 

Dowel plate, an improved 104 

Drafts, clock mechanism for 

opening 345 

Drawing table 20 

Drill clearance 91 

Drill for brick and soft stone, 94 

Drill press 46 

Drill press, home-made 49 



Drilling holes in marbles 93 

Drills, holder for broken 90 

Drills, simple driver for 91 

Driver for small drills 91 

Driving a nail 82 

Dry battery, how to make. ... 261 
Dry battery, restoring 262 



Earthquake, locating 228 

Earthquake recording instru- 
ment 223 

Ejector made of pipe fittings.. 357 

Elastic pendulum 196 

Electric coffee pot 338 

Electric engine 249 

Electric light globes, chemical 

flasks from 178 

Electric motor, oscillating. . . . 233 
Electrical anemometer, how to 

make 192 

Electrical fireless cooker 330 

Electrical laboratory 230 

Electrical paradox 309 

Electricity, static, ringing bell. 247 

Electrolytic detector 296 

Electrolytic rectifier, for 

charging ignition batteries 283 
Electrostatic illuminations .... 238 

Engine, a simple electric 249 

Engine bearings, taking up. ... 391 

Exhaust pipe, muffler for 172 

Experiment in static elec- 
tricity , 247 

Experiment, interesting, and 

its explanation 214 

Experiments for the induction 

machine 238 

Experiments with carbon di- 

sulphide 206 

Extension for speed lathe beds 33 
Extension leg, ladder 87 



INDEX 



459 



Factory, handy man in 156 

Fans on machine tools 172 

Faucet, anti-freezing 362 

Filing round work 67 

Fire hose, belting 90 

Fire lighting apparatus 343 

Fire pot, replacing 344 

Fireless cooker, an electrical.. 330 
Fireless cooker, cheaply con- 
structed 328 

Fisherman's bend knot 354 

Fishnet, how to mend 353 

Flasks, chemical, from electric 

light globes 178 

Flower pots, paper 367 

Flying machine, "Diabolo"... 453 
Flying machines, model, toy. . 434 
Fountain, Hero's, as a table 

ornament 324 

Fresh water, to obtain from 

sea water 180 

Frost, making, with carbon 

disulphide 207 

Furnace drafts, let the clock 

open 345 



Gage for augers 90 

Gage for weather boards 86 

Gage, the handy man's 95 

Gas engines, muffler for 172 

Gas fire-lighting apparatus. . . . 343 
Gas heater for soldering irons 115 
Gas regulator, electrically con- 
trolled 181 

Gas soldering iron 120 

Geometrical figures produced 

by elastic pendulum 196 

Geometrical figures produced 

by "rotagon" apparatus.. 219 
German silver solder 141 



Glider, Chanute^pe, how to 

build 401 

Glue pot as a metal pot and 

ladle 102 

Glycerin and carbon disul- 
phide, side by side 209 

Goblet, luminous 240 

Gold solders 147 

Grater 47 

Grinder, a simple foot power. 24 

Grinder for small tools 97 

Grinders, holder for 164 

Grindstone 23 

Grindstone, a simple foot 

power 24 

Grindstone, artificial 24 

Groove, cutting, with a lathe. . 158 
Groove of 42-inch pitch, cut- 
ting 157 

Guide for drilling horizontal 

holes 92 

Gyroscope made from a bi- 
cycle 195 



H 



Hammock, how to mend 353 

Hanger for the clothes closet. 325 
Handle, simple method of con- 
structing 65 

Handy man about the house.. 314 

Handy sportsman 369 

Hard solders 135 

Heat motor •. 216 

Heat motor, ornamental 217 

Heat retaining bottle 334 

Hero's fountain as a table or- 
nament 324 

Holder for broken shank 

drills 90 

Holder for grinders 164 

Holder for sandpaper 66 

Holder for small tools 97 



460 



INDEX 



PAGE 

Holes in metal, device for 

sawing 99 

Hook, the bench 13 

Horizontal holes, guide for 

drilling 92 

Horses, trestles or stools 60 

Hose as sustitute for leather 

belting 90 

Hose, how to mend 365 

Hose reel on a hydrant 363 

Hose, to repair leak in 367 

House, the handy man about. 314 

Hydrant, hose reel on 363 

Hydraulic test for the boiler.. 174 

I 

Ice yacht, inexpensive 407 

Iceless refrigeration 336 

Illuminations, electrostatic. . . . 238 
Induction machine, interesting 

experiments for 238 

Influence machine, stratifica- 
tion in vacuo 244 

Iodine experiment 214 



Jar, Leyden, unbreakable 230 

Jar top, unscrewing 352 

Jars, Leyden, substitute for 

tin-foil 230 

Joint, self-locking dovetail.... 81 
Joint, solid, for the work 

bench 11 

Joint that can be tightened. . . 12 

Joint, two intermeshing pieces 314 

K 

Karmarsch's composition 138 

Keyways, cutting, on a die 

sinker 165 

Kite, the aeroplane ',-. 448 

Knot, fisherman's bend 354 



Laboratory, electrical 230 

Laboratory, experimental 178 

Ladder extension leg 87 

Ladder, to support, on a roof. 87 

Ladle 102 

Lamp rheostat 290 

Lamp shade, metal 318 

Lamp shade of brass cut with 

acid 320 

Lamps, tungsten, adjustable 

socket for 289 

Lathe 27 

Lathe, a portable polishing. ... 162 
Lathe, accurately setting the 

slide rest 161 

Lathe beds, extension for 33 

Lathe chuck 159 

Lathe, cutting a cam groove 

with 158 

Lathe dog as a pipe wrench. . 74 
Lathe dog, correct shape for. . 161 
Lathe, milling attachment for. 156 
Lathes, screw-slotting attach- 
ment for 166 

Lawn sprinkler, home-made.. . 364 

Leader made of tin cans 356 

Leather, clutch, putting on. . . . 393 

Level, a builder's 2 

Leyden jar, unbreakable 230 

Leyden jars, substitute for tin- 
foil 230 

Lilac, synthetic, apparatus for 

making 212 

Lipowitz's metal 135 

Locomotives, boring cylinder 

bushings for 170 

Lubricating cup, automatic. ... 173 

M 

Machine tools, fans on 172 

Magnetic detector, construc- 
tion of 3 00 



INDEX 



461 



PAGE 

Magneto machine for physio- 
logical effects 252 

Marbles, drilling holes in 93 

Mast head, or boom ring 422 

Matches, waterproof 351 

Medical coil, a simple 250 

Mending a cracked bottle 355 

Metal pot 102 

Micrometer attachment for a 

milling machine 167 

Micrometer, home-made 103 

Milk bottle, how to keep cool. 337 
Milk testing without appa- 
ratus 349 

Milling attachment for the 

lathe 156 

Milling machine, micrometer " 

attachment for 167 

Mirror to prevent accidents.. 395 

Miter-box 50 

Monoplane, a simple 434 

Monoplane, divided 438 

Monoplane model, a novel. . 451 
Motor, alternating current. . . . 263 
Motor buggy, to convert 

horse-drawn buggy into . . 378 
Motor, direct current, experi- 
ments with alternating 

current 306 

Motor, heat 216 

Motor, heat, ornamental 217 

Motor, oscillating, static-elec- 
tric 233 

Motor sled 430 

Motor, to install in small boat. 423 

Muffler for gas engines 172 

Music stand, or book rest. .. . 314 

N 

Nail, chisel point. 85 

Nail, the driving of a 82 

Nail, to prevent from splitting 

the wood 85 



PAGE 

Needle, rag carpet 327 

Net, how to mend 353 

Newton's metal 130 

Nut and screw made without 

a lathe 71 

Nut lost, substitute for 396 



Onion crate, tabouret made 

from 316 

Open-circuit telegraph system. 291 
Oscillating static -electric 

motor 233 



Painters' platform bracket 88 

Pan, broiling, an improvement 

for .> 339 

Paper, cutting wood with 201 

Paper flower pots 367 

Paper hanger's adjustable 

templet 89 

Paper pulp, decorations from. 321 

Paradox, an electrical 309 

Patch for kitchen boilers 340 

Pendulum, elastic 196 

Perfume, chemical 211 

"Perrikon" detectors, zincite 

for 214 

Physiological effects, magneto 

machine for 252 

Picks, railroad, repairing 176 

Pipe, polished, vise for 67 

Pipe valve, an emergency 75 

Pipe vise, an improvised 75 

Pipe wrench, substitutes for. . 74 
Piston heads, scraping carbon 

, from 388 

Pitch, 42-inch, cutting a 

groove of x 157 

Planing and shooting board. .. 13 

Planing dog 63 

Platform bracket, painters'... 88 



462 



INDEX 



Platinum and aluminium 

solder 152 

Poles for telephone lines, ways 

to brace 292 

Polishing lathe, portable 162 

Portable automobile house.... 369 

Pots of paper, flower 367 

Pouring invisible vapor 208 

Prechtl's composition 138 

Preventer, accident, the mo- 
torist's 395 

Punching holes in saw blades, 

clock springs, etc 98 

Punctures, tool for repairing. . 424 

Puzzles, chemical 203 

Puzzling bit of woodwork. . . . 315 

Radiators and boilers, mend- 
ing 342 

Rag carpet needle 327 

Railroad picks, repairing 176 

Range of rifle, reducing 432 

Range of rifle, reducing, an- 
other method 433 

Reamer, an emergency 94 

Rectifier, electrolytic, for 
charging ignition bat- 
teries 283 

Reel for hose on a hydrant. . . 36$ 

Refrigeration, iceless 336 

Regulator, gas, electrically 

controlled 181 

Replacing a fire pot 344 

Rheostat, lamp, a cheap 290 

Rifle, reducing range, another 

method 433 

Rifle, reducing range of 432 

Rod threader, substitute for. . 71 

Roller jack 60 

Roof, to support ladder on... 87 

Roses, blue 210 

Rose's metal 130 



"Rotagons" 219 

Round work, device for find- 
ing centers of 100 

Round work, how to file 67 

Router 46 



Sand paper, convenient holder 

for 66 

Saw blades, device for punch- 
ing holes in 98 

Saw buck 59 

Saw clamp 55 

Saw clamp, an improved 57 

Saw filing vise 57 

Sawing holes in metal 99 

Scaffold, a simple support for. 88 

Scale for barometers 188 

Scientific American as a cut- 
ting tool 202 

Scooter, how to build 414 

Screw and nut made without 

a lathe 71 

Screw-slotting attachment for 

lathes 166 

Screws, remedy for loose 86 

Scroll-saw 34 

Scroll-saw guide 48 

Scroll-saw, tool grinder, 

router, and drill-press. ... 39 
Sea water, how to obtain 

fresh water from 180 

Seismograph, home-made 223 

Selenium cell, construction of. 312 
Shade, home-made metal lamp 318 
Shade roller brackets, handle 

made of 65 

Shaft, how to support when 

babbitting 101 

Shaft, method of finding the 

center 101 

Sheet alloy 133 

Shoe stretcher, improvised... 353 



INDEX 



463 



PAGE 

Shooting board 13 

Shop, building the. . . . 1 

Shop kinks 64 

Shoulder chest 18 

Silver solders 145 

Siphons, starting device for... 179 

Skates, coasting 426 

Sled, bicycle, coasting 425 

Sled, dirigible 428 

Sled, hand-motor 430 

Sled, two ways of improving. 427 
Slide rest, accurately setting. . 161 
Socket, adjustable, for tung- 
sten lamps 289 

Soft solders 125 

Solder, aluminium and gold.. 152 

Solder aluminium, how to. . . . 153 

Solder, brass 137 

Solder, bismuth 129 

Solder, Cliche alloys 134 

Solder, D'Arcet's metal 130 

Solder, fluid 128 

Solder for aluminium brcmze. 152 

Solder, Lipowitz's metal 135 

Solder, Newton's metal 130 

Solder, platinum and aluminium 152 

Solder, Rose's metal 130 

Solder, sheet alloy 133 

Solder, strong soft 128 

Solder, tin 124 

Solder, weak soft 128 

Solder, Wood's metal 135 

Soldering, anchoring work. ... no 

Soldering apparatus 109 

Soldering, blow pipe 114 

Soldering, continuous blast 

apparatus 113 

Soldering flame in 

Soldering, hints on 117 

Soldering, incasing the work., no 
Soldering iron, gas, made of 

pipe fittings 120 

Soldering irons, heater for... 115 



PAGE 

Solders, aluminium 150 

Solders and soldering agents. 107 
Solders, Applebaum's compo- 
sitions 138 

Solders, bismuth and tin, mold 

for 132 

Solders, brass 141 

Solders, classification of 124 

Solders, copper 135 

Solders, formulas for 123 

Solders, German silver 141 

Solders, gold 147 

Solders, half white 139 

Solders, hard 135 

Solders, Karmarsch's compo- 
sition 138 

Solders of brass and zinc 141 

Solders, Prechtl's composition 138 
Solders, prepared from pure 

metals 141 

Solders, silver 145 

Solders, soft 125 

Solders, soft, manufacture of. 131 

Solders, soft, special use of... 133 

Solders, white 140 

Solders, yellow, hard 138 

Spark plug, cleaning the 300 

Spark plug, the handy man's. 387 
Spilings, simple method of 

taking 421 

Splitting the wood, to prevent 

the nail from 85 

Sportsman, the handy 369 

Spring, another method of 

making 70 

Spring, spaced coil, how to 

wind 69 

Spring winder, home-made... 70 

Springs, broken, temporary * 

repairs to 392 

Sprinkler, lawn 364 

Star, electric, produced with 

interrupted conductor 242 



464 



INDEX 



PAGE 

Starting device for siphons... 179 
Static electric motor, oscillat- 
ing 233 

Static electricity, ringing bell. 247 

Steam-box 62 

Stock bit, a guide for 92 

Stone, to drill through 94 

Stools, trestles, horses or 60 

Stop-cock of glass tubing 179 

Storage battery without chem- 
icals 258 

Straightening an automobile 

axle 390 

Straightening buckled cast- 
ings 175 

Stratification in vacuo 244 

Stretcher for shoes, impro- 
vised 353 

Striation produced with influ- 
ence machine 245 

Synthetic lilac, apparatus for 

making: 212 



Tabouret made from an onion 

crate 316 

Tap, improvised 82 

Tap wrench 93 

Telegraph system, open-circuit 291 
Telephone lines, ways to brace 

poles for 292 

Telephones, a test for 291 

Templet, paper hanger's ad- 
justable 89 

Test for telephones 291 

Testing mi-Ik without appa- 
ratus 349 

Thermometer, air 189 

Thread cutting without a die. 68 

Threader, substitute for 71 

Tin can leader 356 

Tin solder 124 

Tin solders, mold for 132 



Tire, punctured, method of re- 
pairing 424 

Tool bag, boiler maker's 76 

Tool grinder 45 

Tool rack made of clothes 

pins 64 

Transformer for bell circuits. 279 

Trestles, horses, or stools 60 

Tungsten lamps, adjustable 

socket for 289 

Turnbuckle, home-made 77 

Turnbuckle, improvised 404 

Turning of a ball 105 



Universal joint -, 78 

Unscrewing a jar top 352 



Vacuo, stratification in 244 

Vacuum cleaner, home-made.. 358 

Valve, pipe, an emergency. ... 75 

Vapor, invisible, pouring 206 

Vise for polished pipe 67 

Vise, pipe, an improvised 75 

Vise, saw filing 57 

Vise screw, method of repair- 
ing 71 

Voltaic battery, handy form of 261 

W 

Water, how to obtain fresh, 

from sea water 180 

Waterproof matches 351 

Weatherboard gage 86 

Weather boards, tracing a 

profile of 6 

Wimshurst machine 231 

Wimshurst machine, stratifica- 
tion in vacuo 244 

Winding coils, machine for. .. 256 
Wireless telegraph detector, a 

simple 294 



INDEX 46 



PAGE PAGE 

Wireless telegraph detector, Work bench, joint that can be 

electrolytic 296 tightened 12 

Wireless telegraph detector, Work bench, the 8 

magnetic 300 Work shop, fitting up a 1 

Wood, cutting with paper 201 Wrench, a handy tap 93 

Wood's metal 135 Wrench, pipe, substitutes for. . 74 

Wood screws, remedy for 

loose 86 

Work bench, a solid joint for 

the 11 Zincite, artificial............. 214 



AUTHORS' INDEX 



(See foot note page 8.) 



i Allen, John R. 

2 Bailey, James 

3 Bayley, I. G. 

4 Bennett, W. M. 

5 Bergstrom, J. A. 

6 Bishop, Alfred F. 

7 Blake, Thaleon 

8 Bourne, C. S. 

9 Bonson, Herbert H. 
io Brachvogel, John K. 
ii Bradley, R. E. 

12 Brockman, Robert H. 

13 Brophy, J. A. 

14 Brouillet, J. O. 

15 Brownell, Baker 

16 Carter, O. D. 

17 Chapman, H. D. 

18 Cristadoro, Charles 

19 Clark-Raymond, Jr., George 

20 Clock, E. E. 

21 Cotterell, W. J. 

22 Curtis, Clifton, J. 

23 Cheney, C. D. 

24 Dailey, H. B. 

25 Dobree, B. E. 

26 Fagan, Arthur 

27 Fagan, T. 

28 Fenwick, Thomas 

29 Goebel, W. J. 

30 Graves, W. D. 

31 Gage, Edward G. 

32 Hutchins, C. C. 

33 Handy, L. Gessford 

34 Harrison, Walton 

35 Heron, George 

36 Heuser, R. V. 

37 Hopkins, George M. 



38 Kenny, Frank J. 

39 Hoopes, William 

40 Hoster, Mrs. T. G. 

41 Huggins, George E. 

42 Henry, K. R. 

43 Kavanaugh, S. J. -I. J. 

44 Kerr, J. Edwin 

45 Kimmell, G. G. 

46 Laker, John W. E. 

47 Laurence, A. C. 

48 Lee, O. Ivan 

49 Lincke, George F. 

50 Lord, Frederick 

51 Lurcott, Charles 

52 M'Caughrey, L. W. 

53 Marquardt, G. A. 

54 McDermott, Jr., F. P. 

55 M'Kenzie, William C. 

56 Mekeel, Stephen E. 

57 Menken, August 

58 Michaud, Prof. Gustave 

59 Morgan, Albert P. 

60 Naylor, George W. 

61 Newland, James G. 

62 Nichols, Howard M. 

63 Osborn, A. E. 

64 Packard, John C. 

65 Pabody, Jr., E. F. 

66 Clinton, R. S. 

67 Parkhurst, W. and K. 

68 Parsons, S. J. 

69 Paulmier, J. Carlton 

70 Pearse, R. W. 

71 Dunlap, P. 

72 Pitkin, Carroll A. 

y3 Place, Jr., William H. 

74 Prather, Albert 



AUTHORS INDEX 



467 



75 


Rader, Morris 


92 


76 


Ragan, Kennard 


93 


77 


Reid, E. Emmet, Dr. Ph.D. 


94 


78 


Brecht, Charles 


95 


79 


Riggs, Prof. Henry H. 


96 


80 


Royan, William M. 


97 


81 


Baldwin, Capt. Thomas S. 


98 


82 


Searing, Jr., A. V. 


99 


83 


Lavell, E. J. 


100 


84 


Asher, James 


101 


85 


Spears, J. R. 


102 


86 


Sweet, F. D. 




87 


Strong, Henry 




88 


Bastin, S. Leonard 




89 


Van der Veer, A. R. 




90 


Thorpe, Edward 


103 


9i 


Tiede, Edw. J. 





Tuttle, Jr., Eugene 

Von Sparr, Jr., R. 

Whiteley, Franklin L. 

Ward, Frederick E. 

Warner, Fred. G. 

Welter, J. S. 

Whitemore, H. L. 

Woolley, Claude L. 

Worts, George F. 

Baker, Thomas R., Dr. 

Translated for the Scientific 
American Supple m e n t 
from Edmund Schlosser's 
"Das Loten und die Bear- 
beitung der Metalle." 

Kosmos. 



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can do a good deal with only 
a hammer, a saw and a plane; 
but he can do a lot more and 
do it quicker and better, and 
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HE SCIENTIFIC AMER- 
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The 

FOR ALL WOODWORKERS 

Designed by 

Bench experts. 

Made of the 

most carefully 

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as leaders. 

No. 104 shown in the illustration has conveniently fitted drawers and cupboard 
for the safe keeping of valuable tools and unfinished work. All are fitted with strong 
locks. A rugged, substantial bench which is giving splendid service and satisfaction. 

Your bench needs should be supplied by selecting from our very complete and 
well illustrated catalog. A line from you to-day will bring it to-morrow. 

GRAND RAPIDS HAND SCREW COMPANY 

900 Cottage Grove Avenue GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 





BARNES 
No. 4h Lathe 



This lathe has 9" swing over face plate and 
25" between centers. Cuts right and left 
hand threads ; has set-over tailstock for 
taper turning and takes 3 / 8" rod through 
WBJBS^ spindle. No toy, but an honest, accurately 
built tool especially adapted for experimental and repair work. 

AN OFFER:— For $80.00 cash f. o. b. cars Rockf ord ; 
4H n Lathe with following tools: 5" Champion scroll chuck, set of 9 
lathe tools, 1/2" lathe arbor, 3 common lathe dogs (3/8, 3/4, 1") 
and set of twist drills 1 / 1 6 x 1 / 2 x 32 nds . $80.00 net cash. 
SEND FOR LATHE CATALOG 

W. F. & JOHN BARNES COMPANY 

1999 Ruby St., Rockford. 111. 





AMERICAN 
■HQMES-»GARE8ENSa 




ESTABLISHED 1905 



AMERICAN HOMES 
AND GARDENS 

THE HIGHEST TYPE OF MAGAZINE 
MAKING «I A MONTHLY DEVOTED 
TO THE HOME AND COUNTRY LIFE 



HIS publication appeals to 
every one who has a 
country place or is think- 
ing of building one, and 
to those who love country 
life. It claims the attention of all members of the family, including 
the women of the household, because of its practical suggestions in 
regard to the house, its decoration, the arrangement of furniture, the 
garden and how it can besl be laid out. 

Besides articles of a utilitarian character, many others are pub- 
lished which stamp "American Homes and Gardens" as the mag- 
azine of country life and nature. The articles on houses are 
particularly important. The illustrations are made from houses 
which have been actually constructed, and represent the mosl; 
advanced types of the modern American Home. 

Each number contains an illustrated account of a personal visit to 
some noted mansion. These articles are accompanied by floor 
plans drawn to scale. Each number has a three-color process 
cover which changes with each month. The broad character of 
the publication accounts for the great popularity which it has 
attained in a comparatively short time. Each issue is beautifully 
printed on coated paper, contains seventy-two pages, and measures 
10^x1 4 inches. The subscription price is $3.00 a year; single 
numbers 25 cents. 

MUNN & CO., Inc., Publishers, 361 Broadway, N. Y. City 




MOTSINQER (DYNAMO) 
AUTO=SPARKER, $16.00 

For all kinds of Gas Engine Ignition — 

Will charge Batteries, run Lights, etc. 

Motsinger D. C. Magneto, $10.00 

MADE BY 

MOTSINGER DEVICE MFG. COMPANY 

342 Main St., Pendleton, Ind., U. S. A. 



li 



VFKIN 



MEASURING TAPES 

AND RULES 

Appeal particularly to those who appreciate absolute accuracy 
and expert workmanship. Our catalogue is a valuable addition to 
the " Handyman's Book." Sent on Request. 

Saginaw, Mich., U. S. A. — New York— London, Eng. — Windsor, Can 




Our Book Department 





E offer our patrons and subscribers the advantages of a long established and widely 
experienced department, devoted to the publication and distribution of modern 
up-to-date books pertaining to all branches of Engineering, Mechanics, Chemistry* 
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We shall be glad to aid our patrons in the proper selection and purchase of books on the 
subject in which they are interested. 

Our 1 1 2-page catalogue of general scientific and technical books will be mailed free to 
any address upon application. 

SOME OF THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN PUBLICATIONS 

The Scientific American Reference Book, compiled by A. A. Hopkins, 12mo., cloth, 516 pages, illus. 

The Scientific American Boy, by A. R. Bond, 1 2mo., cloth, 3 1 7 pages, 320 illustrations 

Home Mechanics for Amateurs, by George M. Hopkins, 12mo., cloth, 370 pages, 326 illustrations . . 

Experimental Science, by George M. Hopkins, 2 volumes, 1,100 pages, 900 illustrations 

The Scientific American Cyclopedia of Receipts, Notes and Queries, edited and compiled by Albert A. 
Hopkins, revised edition, containing 15,000 selected formulas, 734 pages 

Magic, Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, by A. A. Hopkins, 8vo., cloth, 556 pages, illustrated 

The New Agriculture, by T. Byard Collins, 8vo., cloth, 374 pages, 106 illustrations 

Industrial Alcohol, Its Manufacture and Uses, by John K. Brachvogel, 8vo., cloth, 516 pages, 107 illus. 

Practical Pointers for Patentees, by F. A. Cresee, 12mo., cloth, 144 pages . 

American Estates and Gardens, by Barr Ferree, quarto, \\x\3 l A inches, 340 pages, 275 illustrations . 

The Design and Construction of Induction Coils, by A. Frederick Collins, 8vo., cloth, 295 pp, 155 illus. 

The Technological Dictionary, Spanish- English, English- Spanish, by N. Ponce De Leon, 

Vol. I, Ingles-Espanol 8 50 

Vol. 2, Spanish- English 7 50, two vols. 

Full descriptive circulars of the above books will be mailed free upon application. 



$1 50 


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MUNN & CO., Inc., Publishers, 361 Broadway, New York City, N. Y. 



The Scientific American Boy at School 

By A. RUSSELL BOND 

J2mo. 338 Pages. 3(4 Illustrations. Price $2.00 postpaid 

I HIS book is a sequel to "The Scientific American Boy," many thousand copies of 
which have been sold, and has proven very popular with the boys. The main object 
of the book is to instruct how to build various devices and apparatus, particularly for 
outdoor use. The construction of the apparatus is fully described and the instructions 
are interwoven in a story, a feature which has assisted in making the n Scientific 
American Boy " so popular and interesting to the boy. 

It takes up the story of " Bill " and several of his companions at boarding school. 
They form a mysterious Egyptian society, whose object is to emulate the resouraeful- 
ness of the ancients. Their Chief Astrologer and Priest of the Sacred Scarabeus is 
gifted with unusal powers, but his magic is explained so that others can copy it. Under 
the directions of the Chief Engineer, dams, bridges and canal-locks are constructed. 
The Chief Admiral and Naval Constructor builds many types of boats, some of 
which are entirely new. The Chief Craftsman and the Chief Artist also have their 
parts in the work done by the Society, over which Pharaoh and his Grand Vizier have charge. Following is a 
list of the chapters : 

Chapter I. Initiation ; Chapter II. Building a Dam ; Chapter III. The Skiff ; Chapter IV. The Lake House ; 
Chapter V. A Midnight Surprise ; Chapter VI. The Modem Order of Ancient Engineers ; Chapter VII. A 
" Pedal -Paddle- Boat " ; Chapter VIII. Surveying ; Chapter IX. Sounding the Lake ; Chapter X. Signaling 
Systems; Chapter XI. The Howe Truss Bridge ; Chapter XII. The Seismograph; Chapter XIII. The Canal 
Lock; Chapter XIV. Hunting with a Camera ; Chapter XV. The Gliding Machine; Chapter XVI. Camping 
Ideas; Chapter XVII. The Haunted House; Chapter XVIII. Sun Dials and Clepsydras; Chapter XIX. The 
Fish-Tail Boat ; Chapter XX. Kite Photography ; Chapter XXI. Water-Kites and Current Sailing; Chapter 
XXII. The Wooden Canoe; Chapter XXIII. The Bicycle Sleigh; Chapter XXIV. Magic; Chapter XXV. 
The Sailboat ; Chapter XXVl. Water Sports, and Chapter XXVlI. A Geyser Fountain. 




Concrete Pottery ®, Garden Furniture 



16mo. 



By RALPH C. DAVISON 

Assistant Secretary Concrete Association of America 

196 Pages 



140 Illustrations Price $1.50 postpaid 




HIS work should appeal strongly to all those interested in ornamental concrete, as the 
author has taken up and explained in detail in a most practical manner the various 
methods of casting concrete ki ornamental shapes. The titles of the thirteen chapters 
which this book contains will give a general idea of the broad character of the work. 
They are entitled : 

I. Making Wire Forms and Frames ; II. Covering the Wire Frames and Mod- 
eling the Cement Mortar Into Form ; HI. Plaster Molds for Simple Forms ; IV. 
Plaster Molds for Objects Having Curved Outlines ; V. Combination of Casting 
and Modeling — An Egyptian Vase ; VI. Glue Molds; VII. Colored Cements and 
Method* Used for Producing Designs with Same ; VIII. Selection of Aggregates ; 
IX. Wooden Molds— Ornamental Flower Pots Modeled by Hand and Inlaid with 
Colored Tile; X. Concrete Pedestals; XI. Concrete Benches; XII. Concrete 
Eences ; XIII. Miscellaneous, Including Tools, Waterproofing and Reinforcing. 
The first two chapters expISin a most unique and original method of working pottery which has been developed 
by the author. The chapter on color work alone is worth many times the cost of the book inasmuch as there is 
little known on this subject, and there is a large and growing demand for this class of work. The author has taken 
for granted that the reader knows nothing whatever about the material and has explained each progressive step in 
the various operations throughout in detail. These directions have been supplemented with half-tones and line 
illustrations which are so clear that no one can misunderstand them. The amateur craftsman who has been working 
in clay will especially appreciate ihe adaptability of concrete for pottery work, inasmuch as it is a cold process 
throughout, thus doing away with the necessity of kiln- firing, which is necessary with the former material. The 
book is well gotten up, and is printed on heavy glazed paper and abounds in handsome illustrations throughout, which 
clearly show the unlimited possibilities of ornamentation in concrete. 

MUNN & CO., Inc., Publishers, 361 Broadway, N. Y. City 



REVISED EDITION 



fshe SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN 
CYCLOPEDIA of RECEIPTS 

NOTES and QUERIES 



15,000 RECEIPTS 



730 PAGES 



Price $5.00. Mailed to Any Part of the World 

Leather Bindings as follows: 

Sheep, $6.00 Half Morocco, $6.50 




O' 



k NE of the most useful books ever pub- 
lished. Invaluable in the factory, office, or 
home. Over 1 5,000 selected receipts are here 
collected, nearly every branch of the useful 
arts being represented. It is much more than 
a receipt book, as in most cases it gives the 
standard and special formulas which enable the 
reader to find a receipt which fits his peculiar 
needs. The alphabetical arrangement with 
abundant cross references makes it an easy work to consult. This 
book was first published in the Fall of 1 89 1 and it has had an 
unprecedented sale. It has been used with equal success by 
chemists, technologists and those unfamiliar with the arts, and it is a 
book which is useful in the laboratory, factory or home. The 
new edition which has been revised and brought up to date will 
undoubtedly prove even more valuable than the preceding editions. 
A complete Table of Contents sent on request. 



MUNN & CO., Inc., Publishers 
Scientific American Office, 361 BROADWAY, NEW YORK 



Twenty-fifth Edition 

EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE 

By GEORGE M. HOPKINS 



Two Octavo Volumes 
900 Illustrations 




Revised and Greatly Enlarged 
1,000 Pages 

Cloth Bound, Postpaid, $5.00 Half Morocco, Postpaid, $7.00 

Or Volumes Sold Separately: 
Cloth, $3.00 per Volume Half Morocco, $4.00 

XPERIMENTAL SCIENCE is so well known to many of our readers that it is 
hardly necessary now to give a description of this work. Mr. Hopkins decided 
some sime ago that it would be necessary to prepare a new edition of this work in 
order that the many wonderful discoveries of modern times might be fully described 
in its pages. Since the last edition was published, wonderful developments in 
wireless telegraphy, for example, have been made. It was necessary, therefore, that a good 
deal of new matter should be added to the work in order to make it thoroughly up-to-date, 
and with this object in view some 200 pages have been added. On account of the increased 
size of the work it has been necessary to divide it into two 
volumes, handsomely bound in buckram. It may be interesting 
to note the following additions that have been made to these 
volumes : 

Volume I contains in addition to a large number of simple, 
well illustrated experiments, a full description of a X H. P. 
electric motor made expressly for illustration in this edition of 
"Experimental Science." It is an enclosed self -regulating 
electric motor for a 110 volt circuit. It can be operated by a 
current from a 1 1 volt lamp socket, yielding a full % H. P., 
or it may be used as a dynamo, furnishing a current capable 
of operating three 1 6-candle-power, 1 10 volt incandescent 
lamps. The construction of the machine is perfect enough to 
admit of enlarging or reducing its size if desired. 

Volume II contains much on the general subject of 
electricity, besides new articles of great importance. Among 
these the subject of alternate current machinery is treated. 
Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony receive attention. Elec- 
trical Measuring Instruments, The Electric Clock, The Tele- 
graphone, Experiments in High Voltage, The Nernst Lamp, and Measuring the Heat of 
the Stars are all thoroughly illustrated and described. 

The unprecedented sale of this work shows conclusively that it is the book of the age for 
teachers, students, experimenters and all others who desire a general knowledge of Physics or 
Natural Philosophy. 

Send for Descriptive Circular. 






•PKl'NS 



MUNN & CO., Inc., Publishers, 361 Broadway, NEW YORK 



HOME MECHANICS 
FOR AMATEURS 

By GEORGE M. HOPKINS 

Author of "Experimental Science " 

12mo. 370 Pages. 320 Illustrations 

Price $1 .50 postpaid 

THE book deals with wood working, household ornaments, metal working, 
lathe work, metal spinning, silver working ; making model engines, boilers 
and water motors; making telescopes, microscopes, and meteorological 
instruments, electrical chimes, cabinets, bells, night lights, dynamos and motors, 
electric light, and an electric furnace. It is a thoroughly practical book by the 
most noted amateur experimenter in America. 

MAGIC 

STAGE ILLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC 

DIVERSIONS, INCLUDING TRICK 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

By A. A. HOPKINS 

568 Pages 420 Illustrations Price $2*50 

THE illusions are illustrated by the highest class of engravings, and the 
exposes of the tricks are, in many cases, furnished by the prestidigitateurs 
themselves. Conjuring, large stage illusions, fire-eating, sword-swallowing, 
ventriloquism, mental magic, ancient magic, automata, curious toys, stage effects, 
photographic tricks, and the projection of moving photographs are all well 
described and illustrated. 

MUNN & CO., Inc., Publishers, 361 Broadway, NEW YORK 

X 83R 










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